Life After Everything Else
by Carmela Darling
Summary: AE. When Alice decides to stay in the mysterious world of Underland, how does her life pan out? Will she find love and a place she can finally call home, or will she have to put everything aside as a darker force approaches?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie Alice in Wonderland nor Lewis Carroll's amazing stories **_**Alice's Adventures in Wonderland **_**and **_**Through the Looking Glass**_**. Any relations to your own original characters, plot lines, or your own life are purely coincidental. Please don't sue.**

**Added Note: After going over the story several times, I have rewritten chapters to fix up dead-end plotlines, grammar, spelling, and general inexperienced OOC-ness. In the past year since I've started writing this I have vastly improved and, since this is a story I am committed to, I wished to improve it. So, for all of your reading pleasure, I give you the edited version of Life After Everything Else.**

A/N: To be honest, I plan to take out most of my author's notes too. I want to be very serious with this story, because I believe it has a lot of potential. Besides, most of my author's notes are just me rambling. So from now on they are not going to be here unless it is to address an issue brought up in reviews or PM and to wish you a happy reading.

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter One: Her Decision

* * *

"Well, Alice?" Hatter whispered quietly as she continued to stare at the purple liquid swirling inside the tiny vial. "Do you want to stay here? In Underland?"

Alice remained silent for several moments, finding it hard to concentrate on one thought as the broken-hearted screams of the Red Queen's still echoed around them. She watched as the woman was dragged away and almost felt pity for her as her cries of despair upon learning of her supposed lover's betrayal faded as she was dragged away. Alice had never meant to cause all of this, truly she didn't. All she wanted was to go back home, to wake up from this surreal dream. But pinching had not worked like her father had promised her, and now when she was given a chance to return she found herself unable to come to a decision. Already she had grown to love Underland just as much as the Wonderland she knew as a child. It would seem like she would deny a part of her if she were to pretend as if it was nothing more than what she wished it were—a dream. But something this spectacular, something this important and meaningful and full of life couldn't be a dream. Not anymore, at the very least.

The White Queen gazed at her with a sympathetic look, her eyes able to say more to Alice than what her words alone could.

"I...I don't know, Hatter," Alice whispered, voicing her thoughts for all to hear. Everyone was watching her, all the animals and people who had come to help her fight for Underland's freedom. Even the Mad Hatter, the person she least expected to grow so close to, had come to help. He had given her courage when she was afraid to face the Jabberwocky, and now as she looked into his bright green eyes she could see the sadness they contained. And the longer she stared into them, the more she could see the intense color dulling and losing its vibrant hue.

How she would miss him so if she left. How she would miss everyone.

"I've said it once, and I will say it again. You cannot let people make your decisions, Alice," the White Queen advised, stepping forward to the younger girl as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

Alice nodded her agreement, knowing the words were all too true. She couldn't let people make up her own life anymore. Margaret telling her to marry young, her mother attempting to get her together with Hamish; she was sick of being told to do like she was daft. Although she didn't want to end up as her Aunt Imogene, but Alice didn't want to have people controlling her life forever.

"I need time to think," she said finally, her grip tightening around the clear vial as she looked up at Mirana. A small frown appeared briefly on the White Queen's face, but it was soon replaced by an understanding smile and she bowed slightly before turning to the Hatter.

"Tarrant," she said, "please go and take Alice back to Marmoreal. I'm sure you'll be able to find a comfortable room where she may change and relax." Turning to Alice, she gave a gentle smile to the girl. "I'm afraid you must give us your decision by tomorrow on whether you choose to stay or not. You'll discover that time moves very different here than in Overland, and if you wish to return you cannot afford to waste much more time before you are missed."

_I wonder how long it has actually been_ Alice thought as she nodded her head, showing her understanding of the deal. Waving goodbye to everyone, she hoped that it would not be long until she saw them again as her and Tarrant began walking in the direction of the Tulgey Woods.

"So, your name is Tarrant?" she asked, trying to start up a conversation as they walked through the dense foliage.

"Yes, it is," he replied, giving her a slight smile that assured her somewhat. "And yours is Alice. Everything has a name."

"I know, I just never learned yours," she said with a small laugh as they continued walking side by side. The armor was growing heavy on her frame, and as the sun broke out through the leaves to shine on the white marble of Marmoreal she couldn't help but smile brightly.

"It seems...different," she remarked as they continued walking until they approached the long drive leading up to the splendid castle.

"It's most likely due to Lady Mirana becoming the queen of Underland once again," Tarrant answered as they approached the large opened gates. "Quite lovely, actually," he added as they both strolled past the cluster of blossom trees and entered the expansive foyer of the castle.

"Very much so," she agreed as she followed Tarrant into one of the many doors leading off from the foyer. Following him through the many hallways that twisted and turned and broke off, Alice took everything in as they kept walking through the maze-like castle until they were climbing upward. Finally Tarrant stopped her, smiling to himself as he held open the door for Alice.

Stepping inside, Alice gazed on in wonder at the room. Fabrics in all sorts of shades and colors and textures filled the room. Molds and head forms were all neatly placed on a table alongside a sewing machine. Another table was set aside, full of scissors and pins and decorative extras that would no doubt be added to something the Hatter created. Off in the back was a floor-length mirror beside a beautifully designed folding screen.

"Is this your room?" she asked excitedly.

"It is only where I work on my trade, Miss Alice," Tarrant replied as he stepped forward and picked up a pair of scissors, inspecting a few rolls of fabric vwith the metal held steadily over them. "Now go behind that screen over there and get undressed from that armor. I'll make you something nice," Tarrant instructed her and he spread out the chosen fabric and began cutting.

Walking over to the screen, Alice took her time removing the armor as the furious sound of scissors clipping filled the air. By the time she had removed the last of the metal, a dress had been placed at the top of the screen.

"Try that on for size," Tarrant told her. Smiling at the blue dress, she quickly put it on and took a deep breath. She sincerely hoped that Tarrant would approve and as she stepped out from behind the screen, she couldn't help but smile when she saw the Hatter inspecting a roll of fabric, muttering to himself while doing so.

"Now, this would be just lovely if I-" he stopped suddenly as his eyes meet his hers. "Oh! Very sorry, it seems I just tend to..."

"Lose yourself?" she offered with a grin as she stepped forward so that he could see the dress better.

"Ah, yes, that would be fairly accurate, if I must say," he said as he set down the roll of fabric and walked up to her. "You look very nice, Alice," he whispered, holding out his arm for her.

Linking her arm in his, Alice allowed Tarrant to lead her out of the wonderful room and back down the way they came. Together they passed by portraits of former royalty, large windows showing the vast beauty of the castle grounds, and even the occasional opened door that glimpsed at servants working diligently or the ornate furnishing of an empty salon.

It didn't take long until Tarrant took her down an unfamiliar hallway and she couldn't help but smile excitedly as he showed her everything he could about the castle. The last time she was there she was unable to see much due to the pressing need for a Champion; but now that she had been given the chance to return, she wished to see everything. And as Tarrant took her past room after room and up stairs and down corridors, she took every little detail in and tried to commit it to memory should she never be given the chance to see it again.

Finally their journey ended when he stopped before two doors—doors that Alice was sure she hadn't seen when they were walking down the hall—and triumphantly exclaimed, "Here we are!"

Grabbing the handles, Tarrant pushed the doors opened and stepped aside, smiling at Alice. She could not believe the splendor that the room contained, and as she walked around she could not contain her happiness. The furniture was polished ebony that stood out brilliantly against the white color of the room. Soft blue accents were hidden among the white, but Alice easily spotted them out with excitement. It was a small parlor, and as Alice continued to explore it she discovered another door hidden in a small hallway.

With Tarrant close behind her, she opened the door and stepped into what was to become her new bedroom. Although it only contained a bed, a small vanity table, a desk and a chair Alice could not see it as anything less than perfect. Stepping forward, she approached the large window and sat upon the plush cushions beside the glass and looked out eagerly at the gardens below. The room was so high up, everything below her looking so small, but it offered such a beautiful view.

"Would you like some entertainment?" Tarrant asked. "I've thought up the most wonderful riddle that I do think you'd enjoy very much."

"Please tell," she said, smiling as he sat down across from her on the window seat.

"Three sisters at breakfast were feeding the cat. The first gave it sole- Puss was grateful for that. The next gave it salmon- which Puss thought a treat. The third gave it herring- which Puss wouldn't eat. Now, my dear Alice, explain the conduct of the cat."

"Is it because Puss doesn't like herring?" she offered, watching as a grin spread out over Tarrant's face.

"Close," he whispered, his eyes' smiling just as brightly as his own mouth was. The color had turned that intense green, causing Alice to feel reassured as she waited for his answer. "That salmon and sole Puss should think very grand is no such remarkable thing. For more of these dainties Puss took up her stand: but when the third sister stretched out her fair hand pray why should Puss swallow her ring?" Alice giggled, amused with the answer to the riddle.

"Clever," she praised. After they had both fallen silent, Alice glanced out the window to gaze at the checkered lawn, deep in thought. She didn't want to leave this magical place, but what would become of her family...?

"Have you decided whether you are going to leave or not?" Tarrant asked quietly, reaching his hand out to grasp hers. She looked up, smiling sadly as she shook her head. "You know you will always be welcomed here...in Underland."

"I know," she replied sadly, her heart heavy.

"I'd miss you, you know," he said, "when you woke up. It wouldn't quite be the same without you here. Besides, you'd probably forget me once you return to Overland."

"Never, Hatter," she assured, smiling slightly. "I just have my family to think of too. My mother and my sister. What would become of them if I was not to return?" Alice questioned.

"Return to a place where you were unhappy?" She fell silent at his words, glancing back out the window so that she wouldn't have to see his frown and dulling eyes. "Just...think on it while you rest."

"I will," she promised, not moving her eyes from the pristine lake off in the distance. A large tree grew beside it and she wondered just how nice the waster felt.

"Since it's just past brillig," Tarrant said, taking out a pocket watch and glancing at the hands, "I suppose that dinner will be ready as soon as Lady Mirana returns. No doubt Thackery will cook something up to expectations, as always," he said, tucking the watch away as he walked up to the door. "I do hope you'll join us, Alice, and that you choose what you think will make you happiest," he said with a heavy sigh.

Watching as Tarrant left the room, Alice heard the click of the door firmly closing before focusing back on the scenery outside, her mind swimming with thoughts of what she should do.

* * *

"This can't be right! I demand you let go of me _this very instant_!" Iracebeth screamed, her face turning bright red as she was dragged towards the outskirts of Underland by her own guards. Stayne, who had resigned himself to their shared banishment, was walking behind one of the guards, glaring off in the distance. Of course, Iracebeth had refused to accept her fate and was dragged kicking and screaming through the Tulgey Woods until they arrived to the border of the Outlands.

"Let me go! I will have your heads chopped off and served to me on a _golden platter_!" she shrieked, thrashing violently against her restraints. They had been walking for miles, and the continuous shrieking had been grating on Stayne's already raw nerves.

"Shut _up_!" Stayne yelled, glaring fiercely at the redheaded woman. Thankfully, his own shouting seemed to have quieted her down as the rest of the trip was spent with her whimpering and sobs filling the air.

Being guided to a desolate area without even a glimpse of life anywhere, the guards shoved the prisoners into the ground before they turned and walked away. Watching until the two guards became nothing more than specks in the distance, Stayne sat up and studied the lock that held his hands together as Iracebeth continued sobbing.

"Why...?" she whimpered. "My Jabberbabywocky is...dead!"

"Oh be quiet," he spat. "No use in sobbing now, everything has collapsed around us." Suddenly Iracebeth shoved herself up from the ground and glared in fury at the taller man.

"You! You tried to _kill me_!" she screamed.

"And given the chance I'd do it again," he shouted back. After Iracebeth fell silent, he turned back to the lock. Twisting himself, Stayne grabbed a small knife hidden away. Iracebeth's eyes grew wide, and she cowered as he raised the weapon.

With intense fear, she watched as Stayne began picking the lock. "Stayne?" she asked, unsure of what to do. Just moments before he had claimed that he would kill her again if given the immediate chance. Yet here he was, with a knife easily accessible but instead he was concentrating on that stupid lock!

"Stayne, what are you doing?" she demanded. "What about _me_!" she screeched, refering to her own shackles that kept her hands firmly bound.

"You're on your own," he said, ignoring her screams of protest as he walked ahead. True, they had been dragged far enough away from the Tulgey Woods to where even the highest tree could not be seen, but Stayne was hopeful. He continued walking, praying for any sign of the land he had once ruled with an iron fist. But not even the trees of the Tulgey Woods or the barren wasteland of the battle ruins where Iracebeth's reign had come to a violent end could be seen.

He continued walking, but still nothing had shown up. The sun was beating mercilessly down upon him, and eventually he saw the edge of a forest. As he entered the greenery, he stepped past wild roots and made his way, thinking that there would never be an escape.

But there was an escape. Up ahead, a break through the leaves and branches gave him renewed hope. Moving faster, Stayne pushed his way through until he finally broke out into the open air. Taking a deep breath, he looked around and it didn't take long for him to realize that something was wrong.

His earlier thought was proven true. There, sitting in the exact same spot where he had left her was Iracebeth. "_No_!" he shouted, grabbing the same knife that had helped freed him and throwing it away from him. Looking wildly around, he turned behind him and saw that the forest he was in moments ago had completely disappeared.

Iracebeth sniffed disdainfully. "Serves you right," she muttered. "I could have told you that once you are banished and brought into the Outlands, you can never escape. Not unless the current reigning power, _my lovely sister_, either dies or is dethroned."

"And why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Stayne asked through clipped lips.

"You never bothered to asked," she answered, standing up and walking over to where Stayne had thrown his knife and picked it up. After she had removed the shackles on her wrists, she brushed off the dirt from her torn dress. "Now, if you are willing to listen to me I have a deal to propose to you."

"And what, pray tell, is that?" he hissed.

"_Silence_!" she shrieked. When Stayne did as told, she smiled approvingly and patted down her fiery red hair. "Now, here's my idea..."

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A/N: Did everyone enjoy the new chapter? I do hope so. Hopefully this will be a vast improvement over the last version. Anyway, I shall continue editing (with luck it will be a chapter a day) and eventually I swear the next chapter will be up! I have not given up on this! So to my veteran readers I hope you enjoy the new chapter and to new readers, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!

**Another Added Note: I have posted up a poll on my profile. With the amount of story ideas that I have, I cannot decide what story I should write about next. If you enjoy reading my stories and wish to read more, please go over to my profile page and vote! Thank you very much**.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello and welcome to the second chapter of Life After Everything Else. As I'm writing this, I am also writing the other chapters for my two other fanfics as well as doing homework (this right here being without my parents knowing). Gotta love high school… I hope you all realize how much I love you all who reads to put myself in this sort of thing. I'm probably going to get some weird sleep disorder from this. Awell, what can you do? Happy reading everyone!

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter Two: The Dream That Helped Decide

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"You're late! Late, late, late, late! If I were the Red Queen, I'd have your head served to Lady Mirana, Tarrant!" Thackery yelled as he bounced around in the kitchen, preparing tonight's meal. Giving a simple smile he walked over to the counter where the several coursed meal had been set out.

"I do so apologize. I had to attend to Alice, escort her and all that. Do you know if Lady Mirana has arrived yet?"

"How should I know?" Thackery exclaimed. "I've been in here all day, slaving over a hot stove!" Hatter gave an apologetic smile as Thackery jumped around the room excitedly, preparing a course of soup. "I do believe that she will be arriving soon with everyone else, though."

"Good, good…" he muttered as he looked over at the meals set out. Thackery, in his frenzy, ran to a counter and rang a bell. Immediately, several of Mirana's attendants appeared and catered the food away to be set up in the dining hall. Tarrant moved away as Thackery finished off the last of the meal and gazed through the window. Having an almost-perfect view of the path up to the castle's doors, he saw the White Queen approaching on her horse.

"Is she here yet? She's late!" the March Hare muttered quietly as he watched his food be taken away. "Doesn't matter much, though. Time to get going, Tarrant! Mallymkun is probably waiting for you as well," he said as his large ears began twitching. Nodding in agreement, Tarrant followed his friend as they exited the kitchen and traveled through the castle until they arrived in the tremendously large dining room. Looking around, he saw that Mirana and Alice had already been seated as well as the other creatures that had earlier been a part of the slaying.

The White Queen rose from her seat as everyone chatted amongst themselves. Holding up a crystal glass, she gently hit her fork against it, causing the whole room to fall silent. Alice, who sat beside her, looked up at her as she smiled kindly to her audience. "We celebrate this feast to the wonderful Frabjous Day," she said as she lowered her glassed and moved her dark eyes across the room. "Especially to thank is Miss Alice Kingsleigh who, with her noble efforts, killed the Jabberwock," she said, turning to smile at Alice. Smiling softly back, she nodded her head as she glanced down. Tarrant gazed at her from across the table, worried. "We would just like to extend you our thanks Alice. And also, that we truly wish for you to stay."

"Oh, get off her!" a small female voice cried out. "If she wants to leave, let her! She's done her job and at this point is just _overstaying_ her welcome," Mallymkun cried out as she jumped from her pile of books that was stacked on her chair. Strutting up to the head of the table, she turned to face Alice. "You're not needed here anymore. Good day!" she squeaked. Sighing, Tarrant reached over and picked her up from the collar of her tiny shirt.

"Now, Mally," he advised as he stood up and got onto the table. "Alice is still our guest, and as such we must treat her with kindness. Also, in light of the circumstances," he continued on as he walked across the clean table, "she may become a permanent resident as well. In that case, wouldn't we wish to be welcoming?" As he talked to the small dormouse he walked up to where she had been previously seated and bent down, placing her back in her chair. "Now play nice."

"This is ridiculous. I would've never been treated this way if _she_ wasn't here-"

"Now, now, can we all just sit down and enjoy this lovely meal that Thackery has made for us?" Mirana advised before the fight elevated. Tarrant, who was still standing atop the table, turned to face the White Queen and bowed.

"Of course Milady," he answered as he traveled back to his own chair and sat down once again. Alice noticed that Mallymkun had begun sulking and, as she stood on her large plate, picked up her hatpin sword and began to pick at her meal. Everyone was at the table: the March Hare, the Tweedle twins, the White Rabbit, as well as the White Queen herself. However, Alice did find it odd that the Cheshire Cat was nowhere to be found. Then again, he could indeed be in the room for all she knew.

* * *

Dinner was a complete disaster. Not only did it start off badly with the Dormouse's outburst, it went into further failure when she questioned where the Cheshire Cat was. This, naturally, sent Tarrant into a short rage which took longer to calm down than expected. After that, Mally couldn't keep quiet any longer and began to burst out her insults about Alice, herself, left and right. As a domino effect, this angered Hatter further. Thackery, soon after, began to throw the china everywhere, Tweedledee began another argument with his brother, and the White Rabbit fainted. "Bothersome it all is," she muttered.

Entering her bedroom, which took her some time to find by herself, she strode straight up to her bed and collapsed onto the mattress. "Tired?" a bored tone asked her. "I don't blame you, really. I tend to try to avoid these sorts of things. Too…confronting."

"I don't blame you," Alice answered as she turned over so she was lying on her back. The Cheshire Cat's head appeared from the air close to her pillow as he stared at her.

"You seem disappointed. Why did you go?"

"I thought this wouldn't happen," she replied with a heavy sigh. The rest of his body appeared as she sat up. "I just don't know, Cheshire."

"Chess, please," he said as he began to float around the bed lazily. Alice ignored him as she stared at the opposite wall. "So…What are you going to do?"

"About what?" she questioned.

"You know what I mean…"

"Why is everyone asking me!?" she exclaimed as she stood from her bed and strode over to the wall she was staring at earlier. "Why can't everyone just leave me alone?"

"Well, in my opinion, it's a very important, life-changing decision that you have to make. Also, once you leave you can't exactly come back to Underland without any help," Chess explained as he disappeared then reappeared in front of Alice. Furrowing her brow, she waved him away as she walked over now to her window. It was dark and the moon had raised high into the dark blue sky.

"I'm going to sleep it over," she finally replied after a long silence. The slits of Chess' eyes widened as he nodded.

"Goodnight, Alice. Sweet dreams…" he said before disappearing like a fine mist. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to go through with what she promised and looked through her wardrobe that was placed in the bedroom for something that she could sleep in, having no intention to sleep in the nude.

After finding something else to wear, she quickly changed and climbed into the plush bed. Allowing her head to sink into the comfortable pillows, she let out a sigh. Staring up at the ceiling as she let her mind wander, she soon fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

_Alice traveled through the garden that belonged to the Ascot's, seeing nothing but the blue sky and the green hedges. It seemed like she was traveling in complete circles, retracing where she already walked and passing through the same corners. "How do I get out of here?" she asked to no one in particular as she stopped for a moment, looking around. Turning completely around, she saw a new opening and ran straight to it. Coming upon the area, she found that it was a rather large opening and that it was identical to the place she was proposed to by Hamish. Looking back, she saw the opening she had come from had closed up._

"_Alice?" a familiar voice asked her. Looking back, she saw that her sister, Margaret, was standing before her. "Alice, where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you!"_

"_Oh, Margaret! I was in this wonderful place, it was called Underland. It's exactly like my dreams! And...and I killed the Jabberwocky and I met the Hatter, it was so exciting-!"_

"_Alice, come back home," Margaret said suddenly. "Come back home, please. We all miss you terribly."_

"_But…But I am home, Margaret," Alice said, confused. Margaret abruptly began to disappear in front of Alice. "Margaret? Margaret!?" Alice wildly turned around, trying to find her lost sister. Instead, she found Lowell standing in the far end of the encirclement. "Lowell?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"_

"_It'd just be better for you to not return, Alice," he answered her. Furious, Alice began walking over with him. But by the time she arrived, Lowell had disappeared just as Margaret had._

"…_What?" she asked, confused._

"_Alice, my dear," another voice called out. Said girl began to panic. Everything was confusing, things were not making sense to her in any way. Turning to the voice, she saw it was her mother. "Come back Alice, please come back."_

"_Mother!" she called out as she ran towards her living parent. As expected, she disappeared as well by the time Alice arrived in the spot her mother once was."I…I don't understand," she said as she collapsed onto the ground. Covering her face with her hands, she began to cry profusely._

"_Nothing was ever accomplished with tears," Absolem advised. Shocked, she looked up to the caterpillar. Why wasn't he a butterfly yet? Nothing was making any sense._

"_Oh, Absolem, I don't know what to do!" she exclaimed before fresh tears started up. "Everyone keeps disappearing! I'm so scared!"_

"_Still no use to cry, stupid girl." Alice looked up to him, frowning._

"_What should I do? I want to stay in Underland but…my mother and sister…I just don't know what to do, if I should stay or leave."_

"_The answer is simple," he replied as he took a deep breath of his hookah then blowing the smoke into her face._

"_Damn it, Absolem, tell me!" she exclaimed as she coughed._

"_Do what you believe is your destined path. What do you think is right? To go home, or stay in Underland?" he said before he too began to dissolve into the air._

"_Absolem? No, wait, don't go!" she yelled as she tried to grab at him. Slipping straight through her fingers, he soon vanished entirely. "What am I to do?" she whimpered as she tucked her legs against her chest as she continued crying. Feeling a hand rest on her shoulder, she looked up to see, with great shock, her father. "…Dad?"_

"_Alice, you need to choose. What does your heart tell you, love?" he asked. Alice stared up at him, eyes red and puffy as she sat in shock._

"_My heart?"_

"_Yes, dear," he replied, smiling. "Are you happy here?"_

"_Of course I am!" she said._

"_You're mother and sister can take care of themselves. You need to do what makes _you_ happiest," he advised. "Do you not want to be here?"_

"_Yes I love it here!" she insisted. Suddenly, Charles changed from her lost father to Tarrant himself, looking down at her with pleading eyes._

"_Then why won't you stay?" he questioned._

"_I-I do…I do want to stay, Tarrant. It's just…"_

"_Just what?" he asked. "You said you love it here, that you are happy here."_

"_I am! I am!" she yelled as more tears fell down her face._

"_Then why don't you want to stay…?" Alice watched helplessly as he started to evaporate into the air like all the other had before him. Desperately wanting him to stay, she flung herself at him but only landed into the dirt. Looking up, the once beautiful garden had turned into a barren wasteland. "Why don't you want to stay…" a bodiless voice asked her once again._

"_Tarrant!?" she called out. "Daddy?! Absolem!?" she yelled as she stood. "Anybody!?"_

* * *

"Alice? Alice, wake up!" a voice said as she could feel her shoulder being shook. Sitting up with a start, she stared at Tweedledee. Panting heavily, she wiped at her sweat-drenched face and brushed back her flowing tears.

"You was having quite a nightmare," Tweedledum said.

"But suppose it was a dream?" Tweedledee replied.

"Well then it'd be a nightmare to begin with, wouldn't it?"

"Not exactly. Dreams can be sad and not be a nightmare."

"Yes, but she was calling out to Tarrant and screamin' and such…" A pause. "Suppose it was, then, a different kind of dream."

"Possibly-"

"What do you want?!" Alice yelled, still high on the adrenaline from her nightmare and unwilling to put up with the twins.

"Oh? Lady Mirana is looking for you."

"It's morning after all."

"You need to make your decision," the twins said together before leaving the room. Alice closed her eyes, trying to keep back the pounding headache as she got out of her bed and begun to dress. Her mind swam as she thought of what to do, where she would go.

By the time she was dressed and fully awake, she was traveling through the halls and approaching the throne room. Walking up to the large doors, she sucked in a deep breath and opened the doors. Amazingly, only two people were standing inside the room: the White Queen and Tarrant. Closing the door behind her, she managed to walk up the carpeted rug and stand in front of Lady Mirana.

"Good morning Alice," she said sweetly. "I hope you slept well. Do you have your answer?" Nodding, she glanced at Tarrant and was disappointed to see that he was avoiding her gaze.

"Yes, I do," she replied, turning back to look at the White Queen. "I've thought of it long and hard, and it was only until last night that I was set on what I must do." Hatter looked up at her. "Not only did I have many people talk to me on the subject, I also had a…a dream, if you will, that helped push me in the right direction."

"Go on…" Lady Mirana insisted as she stood slightly from her throne.

"I realized that I was never has happy in my old home as I am here. So, I've decided," Tarrant began to smile slightly as he became giddy, "to stay."

"Oh, Alice!" he exclaimed, walking up to her as he took her hand in his. "You won't be disappointed, no you certainly won't. You'll just love living here! I was so worried, though. I thought 'she must want to stay here, she is so happy here', but then I also thought that you would want to be with your family and that-"

"Hatter!" she exclaimed, smiling. Closing his lips, he smiled brightly as he nodded.

"Yes, quite," he replied. "We certainly must celebrate, though. What exciting news!"

"Maybe some other time, Tarrant," Lady Mirana advised. "At the moment I am busy with rebuilding this world and, sadly, have no time for a celebration until my work is done. But," she said as she returned to her sitting position, "we are glad to have you stay with us Alice."

"I can see that," she said, smiling still as Tarrant began to lead her out of the throne room hurriedly.

"Come, come. We've no time to dilly dally," he said excitedly. Laughing, Alice followed after him as he led her into his hating room once again. Walking up to his work desk, fabric instantly began flying as he swiftly constructed another masterpiece. After about what seemed like a few seconds Tarrant held up a beautiful dress that he had created. "To celebrate!" he exclaimed as he placed it in her hands. "Try it on, try it on."

"Okay Tarrant, okay," she said, giggling as she again went behind the screen and placed the dress onto her pale body. "How does it look?" she asked, walking out from behind the curtain. Nodding his head in agreement, he again took her hand in his and brought her over to a mirror.

"See for yourself! You look absolutely stunning," he said as she stood before her reflection. Suddenly, his smile began to fade as he studied her.

"Something wrong Hatter?" she asked, noticing that he was staring at her. Suddenly, he hugged her tightly as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"I was so scared," he whispered. "That you'd leave and just…disappear, and that I'd never see you again." Unsure of what to do, Alice wrapped her arms around him as well and held him close.

"It's okay Hatter," she soothed. "I'm staying, please don't worry." Lifting his head up from her shoulder, he stared deeply into her brown eyes as he gently brushed back her hair.

"You've been crying," he noted. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing…" she said with a soft sigh, glancing downward. Moving his hand to her chin, Tarrant tenderly lifted her head up so she was looking at him.

"I really was hoping that you'd stay," he whispered. Staring into his bright green eyes, Alice was confused slightly.

"Hatter?" she asked. Leaning forward, Tarrant pressed his lips softly against hers. Alice was shocked at first, not expecting the gesture, but she soon closed her eyes and returned it. After several silent moments, Tarrant pulled away and gave her a nervous smile.

"Did I shock you?" he asked. "Maybe I shouldn't have done that. I mean, you have been going through a lot of stress and-"

"Tarrant!" she said, trying to catch his attention. Stopping his chatter immediately, he nodded his head furiously to show he was done. "I…I liked it Hatter," she whispered. "It's okay." Giving him a small smile, she rested her head against his chest and closed her head. Smiling as well, he placed a hand in her hair as he rested his head atop hers.

"I'm glad you're staying…"

* * *

A/N: Wow…long chapter. Nonstop too! –heavy, exhausted sigh- Anyone like it? Seven pages, that's too long. Ugh! I need sleep. But still…two more chapters to write…maybe it was a bad idea to do three so soon…Ah well, everyone review. Hoped you liked the chapter and that you enjoyed reading it! See you all next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back to Life After Everything Else. I am, as always, your lovely writer! How is everyone doing? I myself, am having a bit of trouble with my new laptop so I'm currently writing this on my dinosaur of a computer run by Microsoft Windows ME. As such, if there are major typos, I apologize because my computer was too stupid to properly do any spell-checks because of how old it is. Beside that, I'm playing solitaire and it's proving to be quite easy at the moment. So everyone read and have fun doing it!

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Three: Swimming

* * *

The day was truly a beautiful one. In Underland that sky seemed brighter and more alive along with the wildlife than in dreary London. Even the colors of all the things Alice looked at seemed livelier than those that she was surrounded in daily. Walking amongst the forest-like garden outside of the boundaries of Marmoreal, Alice had earlier snuck outside to explore without consent from the newly instated queen. Though Alice knew not why, Lady Mirana was deeply concerned with the girl and had been keeping a close eye on her; whether it was through her own eyes or others. One person, naturally, was always with her but Alice trusted him not to tell of her adventures to seek out the wonderful and awe-inspiring world that she had agreed to live in. This time, however, that person was no where to be found so she ventured out alone.

Stepping carefully through the grass, Alice moved further away from the castle as she explored. Looking a little further ahead, she found a small river resting a little bit before the forest. Smiling brightly at her find, she ran towards the flowing water and fell down to her knees beside it. Quickly taking off her shoes, she stuck her feet inside the cool water and rested on the grassy bed. It had been early in the morning that she had left and she was slightly tired from all the wandering she had done.

"It really is a nice creek, isn't it?" a bored voice said as she closed her eyes.

"Hello Chess," she replied. "What are you doing way out here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking the same thing?" Chess asked as he appeared beside her. Glancing over to him, she tilted her head to show that she was listening as she started moving her feet against the small round pebbles on the bottom of the water.

"Possibly. I just snuck out to explore a bit, nothing harmful," she answered as she sat up. "Now your turn."

"I like to get out to clear my mind. The castle is much too busy for my taste," he replied as he started floating around. Nodding in agreement, she stood up suddenly and gathered up the skirts of her dress, lifting them up nearly halfway up her thighs. Staring at her curiously, Chess watched as she moved further in the water until it was up to her knees. "Why are you doing that?"

"You've never seen someone do this?" she asked.

"Hardly."

"Never seen someone just enjoy life?"

"Well I've seen that with certainty"

"That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is…is that you just walk through the forest to clear your mind, go outside just to feel the wind on your face, stand in a river only because you want to feel the water moving past your legs?"

"No I can't say, and I can say this with certainty, that no one has done any of that for the time that Iracebeth had been in power."

"Oh…" she said, forgetting about the dangers that were always present when the Red Queen was in charge of Underland. "I suppose you're right then…" Chess's pupils widened as he smiled.

"No worries, Alice. No harm is done," he said as he watched her enjoy the fresh water. A sound echoed somewhere past them, from where Alice had come from, and Chess turned around to see the intruder. "Seems someone is here to find you," he commented before turning back to face the curious girl. "Good-bye for now."

"Wait, Chess!" she exclaimed as the grinning cat evaporated in the air. Waiting in nervous silence, Alice could hear the plants rustle as someone approached the clearing that she stood in. Very soon, someone managed to get through the undergrowth and appear in front of her. "Oh, Hatter!" she said, happy to see it was him. Smiling, he tipped his hat as he watched Alice move out of the water and run up to hug him. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I was sent out to look for you but now that I've found you I think we can wait awhile before returning," he explained. "You know you really shouldn't be running off like this a lot. Lady Mirana truly worries about you; some people even think that she treats you like a daughter."

"Well I doubt that," Alice commented as she turned away from him and went back to the creek. "Come on, the water's feel really nice Tarrant," she insisted as she walked back up to him and took his hand in hers, pulling him closer to the water.

"Oh Alice I think I'm just fine staying here," he said, giving her a slightly worried look.

"At least put your hands in," she pleaded as they arrived at the body of water. Getting down on her knees once again, she made sure Tarrant was sitting beside her and took both his hands in hers then placed them right above the water. Glancing at her nervously, he watched as Alice gently placed his hands below the surface. "How does it feel?"

"…Nice…" he replied. "It feels really…nice…" Glancing down at his hands, Alice was shocked slightly as a white pigment fell away from his hands.

"Hatter…?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, it's just a paint-like substance that I use to cover up the redness in my hands," he explained as he took his hands out of the water and gently rubbed them. Alice could easily see how red his hands were.

"What happened to your hands?" she questioned gently as she took them in hers and studied them.

"Well, on Horunvendush Day— the day the Jabberwocky destroyed my home— I got badly burned, as you can see," he explained as he stared at his burned hands sadly. Alice remained silent for a short while as Tarrant continued to stare at his hands.

"Oh…" she muttered. "I'm…I'm sorry. Did you…did you lose anyone special?" she ventured.

"Of course I did, yes. My friends, my parents as well as my little siblings," he said. "I never got the chance to be in a… a relationship with anyone since I was employed under the White Queen at the time as her hatter." The silence continued on as Alice was unsure of what to say. Turning his head to face her, he smiled slightly. "It's okay, Alice. I'm fine."

"Still, Hatter, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything…" she muttered as she moved her hands away from his and folded them in her lap.

"Alice?" Tarrant questioned. "Are you wearing an under-dress?"

"Umm…yes, why?"

"Take off your dress and leave that behind," he instructed as he stood, then decided to sit back down and starting retying his shoes.

"…Why?" she questioned.

"It's a surprise," he replied with a smile before standing back up again and helping her up. Taking her hand, he began walking with her down the creek for a short while until they arrived at a small lake. "You seemed to like the water so why don't you go for a swim before we have to leave?" he offered. Grinning at the idea, she began to remove the light sundress from her body, leaving behind the cotton under-dress, as well as her shoes.

"Don't you want to come in too?" she offered as she stood at the shore. Shaking his head, he waved at her as she smiled and walked up to him. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"I'm fine, really…" he said. Shaking her head as well, just like he did before, she reached out and took off his jacket.

"Just a little dip, it's completely harmless," she said as she removed his hat as well. Placing them both on the ground beside her own dress and shoes, she looked up at him playfully. "Please?" Sighing, Tarrant nodded his head in agreement as she stared at him with pleading eyes. Letting out a small smile, she stood and turned away. Jumping into the water, she was surprised to find it rather warm. "Come on in Hatter!"

Tarrant gazed at the clear water, unsure of what to do, as he removed his tie from around his neck. After setting that down with his other articles of clothing, all he had left was a shirt and pants. "Do I just…jump in?"

"Of course!" she said, laughing as she swam up to him. Smiling nervously, he stepped up to the water and went as far as ankle-deep. Giving him an exasperated look, Alice reached out, took his hands, and pulled him into the water.

"Alice!" he exclaimed as he surfaced from the water. Said girl was in a giggling fit as the white paint from his face was bleeding off. "Why did you do that?!"

"It would've taken you forever if I didn't," she explained between giggles as she swam in circles around him. "But isn't it nice? The waters so warm…"

"I suppose it is nice…" he commented, still slightly flustered. Taking a deep breath, he emerged himself completely in the water again before returning to the surface with his face free of the paint. Alice stared at him, not sure of what to think. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," she reassured. "It's just. You look…different. That's all."

"Do you like it?" he asked as he drifted in the calming water.

"Yea…" she whispered as she stopped swimming. Kicking her feet slightly to make sure she was still, she moved along with the small ripples of water as she stared at Tarrant. "I do like it…"

Smiling slightly, Hatter reached out slightly and held onto one of Alice's hands as she swam further away from the shore until they arrived at a large rock in the middle of the lake. Managing to climb up onto it, they sat side by side as they kept their feet in the water. "So, what are you going to do now that you decided to stay here?" Tarrant asked.

Alice's mind flashed back to the day she informed Lady Mirana that she was staying; it was nearly a week ago that it had happened. "I'm not sure. I never really thought about what I'd do for the future," she explained as her feet kicked up the water.

"I'm sure that you'll find something, Alice," Tarrant said reassuringly as he patted her shoulder. Looking up at him, she smiled slightly as she again slipped into the water and rested her arms and head on the foot of the rock.

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

"Of course I do," he answered as she smiled up at him.

"Thanks Hatter, that means a lot to me," she said as she pushed her body out of the water and swiftly kissed him before letting herself fall back into the water. As Tarrant watched her move through the water like a breath of air, something moved inside his chest.

"You're welcome."

* * *

"Where the hell were you Hatter? I was worried about you!" Mallymkun exclaimed when Tarrant entered his room. "Are you…Tarrant, why are you soaking wet?!"

"I went for a swim," he answered simply.

"In your _clothes_!?"

"It was an _unexpected_ swim. I went to find Alice and one thing simply led to another. It's really nothing for you to get involved in, Mally," he explained as he walked past her and into a separate portion of the room where he began to undress.

"Keltikidik!" she shouted as she stormed after him. By the time she arrived to the extra portion of the room, Tarrant had already left in a new set of clothes. "Tarrant, I think you're getting in way too deep with this frumious girl!" she called out as she ran after him. Quickly climbing up a piece of furniture, she managed to stand atop a desk as Tarrant bent down to pick her up and placed her on the rim of his top hat.

"Now, now, don't be slurvish, Mally. Alice is a good person and it quite pleasant to be around," he said as he walked through the castle until he arrived in his favorite room. Picking up Mallymkun gently and placing her back down on the table top, he immediately started working on his trade.

"I am not being slurvish, Tarrant!" she said, clearly insulted as she sat down on a folded piece of ribbon. "I just think that she's _using _you Hatter. She's from…you know…and you also know that no one can trust the people that come from there!"

"Well I trust her," he replied.

"Naught for usal trying to talk to you since you've gone gallymoggers for Miss Alice," she said rudely as she sulked on the ribbon.

"I have not, Mally, you're simply delusional. Now stop sulking and help me out here."

"I just don't think you should get _involved_ with her type. All that is going to happen is you're going to get hurt in the end, Tarrant."

"And I think you're just jealous," he retorted as he finished off a hat that was purely white. "Now it would be in your own best interest to stay out of my own life and let me live it," he advised as he put the hat up on a mannequin's head and started on another one. Mallymkun sighed, her heart filled with sadness as the rest of the time was passed in silence.

* * *

A/N: Hello again! Did everyone enjoy the chapter? Took me awhile to write, but I'm kinda sad that it's not as long as I hoped. Oh well. As always, please review to your little reading-mind-heart's content. Till then, see everyone next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello everyone! It's Shi-chan again to entertain my lovely readers. How are you all doing? Why do I ask? Because I'm cold and absolutely exhausted and not exactly in my right mind seeing as I'm talking to people who can't exactly reply to me…Wait, yes you can. _Hi everyone! How are you?!_ Okay…Okay I need to lay off the black tea. Um…I was going to say something…Oh! I hoped that everyone enjoyed the last chapter and, regarding the possible last two ones, I do beg for your apology. It is unknown how long I shall remain on the dinosaur so please bare with me until my baby is fixed and try to overlook the typos because I do eventually find them. That should be it, have fun reading!

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter Four: Revisiting the Oraculum

* * *

The air was dry and practically nonexistent. The ground was crack and seemed about to fall apart underneath her feet as she walked with the man beside her. Both of their clothes were tattered and filthy from their continued journey through the arid waste land. "How much longer until we get there?" the male asked her.

"We'll get there when we _get there_!" she shouted in reply as her face began to grow red. The beautiful makeup she always wore had long ago fallen away and her hair had become displaced. The man walking beside the screaming woman—Ilosovic Stayne – had been following her for what seemed to him like years.

"You're going the wrong way," he muttered under his breath. "I know these people, and they're not this way."

"_What did I tell you_!?" Iracebeth shrieked. Stayne closed his eyes tightly, trying to block out the horrible noise to no avail. A silence passed until another word was spoken. "Do you see what I do?" the woman muttered as she stopped walking. Reluctantly opening his eyes, he saw what seemed like a small pond.

"Yes…" he replied as he strode briskly up to it. "Yes, I do…" When he arrived to it, he saw that it was real and fell to his knees in awe. Dipping his gloved hands into the clear water, he greedily drank.

"What if it's poisoned?" Iracebeth demanded as she caught up to him, staring wearily at the water.

"I'd rather die of that than thirst and hunger," he snapped back before returning to his task. Pausing for a slight moment, it wasn't long until Iracebeth joined him as well. The taste was exquisite and was nothing like she had ever tasted before: she couldn't stop drinking. It wasn't until she was about to explode that she finally collapsed onto the filthy ground. "Get up," Stayne ordered as he too moved slightly away from the pond. Ignoring him completely, she turned her head to watch him dip in what seemed like a canteen and fill it up entirely with the miracle water.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as she sat up.

"Saving water for later. And we're going back the other way. I'll admit it was your stupidity that got us here but if we plan on getting to our destination then I'm leading," he explained before lifting the jug up and capping it. When he looked up, he saw that Iracebeth was letting her hair down. "What are you doing?"

"I'm still a queen whether Mirana likes it or not; and as a queen I refuse to remain in this state of filth any longer." Stayne stared at her, deciding not to point out to her that she would just get dirty again. "You can wait, but no peeking," she stated as she glared at Stayne. Not wanting to give any indication that he had intentions of doing so he immediately turned around, facing away from the pond.

The sound of cloth shredding was soon heard then the victims of the noise were tossed beside him before water splashing was heard afterwards. Glancing down at what us to be Iracebeth's black, red, and gold dress he studied the changes. The long sleeves were ripped off and the long train had been cut to knee-length. Some of the layers had been torn off as well, creating a dress that would not cause the woman to become quickly overheated. "Give it," an order called out. Turning, Stayne saw Iracebeth dripping wet with one of the torn off layers of cloth covering her pale body.

"Here," he said, shuddering slightly. Yanking the ruined dress out of his hands, she pointed ahead of him and he gave an exhausted sigh as he turned around again. After a short while Iracebeth walked past him in the dress and her hair tied up high on her head with a strip of black cloth. Glimpsing at her, he noticed that something was different about her head beside the new hairstyle. What it was, though, he couldn't put his finger on. Standing up, he followed after her, still gawking.

"_What_?!" she snapped, noticing his looks. Shocked at her outburst, he looked at her and noticed that he could see the blue veins where her eyelids might've been if her eyebrows weren't gone.

"…Nothing," he replied. "We should continue onward if we hope to make it in time. With the time wasted we should make it there by nightfall."

"Oh shut it and just move," Iracebeth replied as she sniffed disdainfully. Smirking, he continued following her as the blazing sun began it's long journey to get below the horizon. Hopefully, they would arrive to their destination before the sun rose again and they could start out their plan.

* * *

_Shit_, Alice thought, s_hit, shit, shit_. This single word was what she repeated as she walked towards a room near the center of the large palace. Earlier she had been summoned by the White Queen and instantly she began panicking, thinking that she had found out about her earlier adventure. Approaching the large, intimidating doors, she took in a breath of air and opened one of the doors wide enough to slip inside. "You called, ma'am?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"Ah, yes, I did," the woman replied as she turned away from what she was doing and smiled warmly at Alice. "Come here, dear, I wish to show you something," she said as she held out her hand for her. Nervous, Alice took it and walked with Lady Mirana as she guided the younger woman through another door until they arrived in a dimly lit room. "A little…bird told me that you snuck out of the castle earlier today. Now, I'm not saying that this…bird is wrong or right or that I believe them or don't, but I am concerned about this."

"There really is no need to be," Alice muttered as she glared down at the floor. In her mind, she was imagining the little 'bird' and what she planned to do for punishment. Maybe a bit of poisoned cheese would work? Or she could get Dinah's little kittens and possibly set them loose in the castle?

"None the less, I do truly hope that you are not doing such things. It really is much too dangerous at the moment for you to be wandering off unattended."

"I'd be just fine by myself," Alice insisted as she looked up to Lady Mirana. "I've always been very careful." The White Queen tightened her lips in thought but decided to ignore the comment and continue on as she approached a locked chest.

"Also, I heard that you've been getting rather close to Tarrant—"

"Have not!" Alice exclaimed, her face blushing a deep red as she folded her hands nervously. Giving her a sympathetic smile, she continued on.

"Whether you claim to or not, I'm still somewhat…reluctant. True, Tarrant is a wonderful man to be around but I worry for his mental state and yours overall," Mirana said worriedly as she played with the lock on the chest.

"There's nothing to be worried about. Even if we were…well, if we were we'd be just fine. Hatter's doing better Lady Mirana, trust me." Glancing over to the blonde girl, she allowed another smile to slip past her lips as she nodded in agreement.

"I believe you," she whispered. "Could you possibly send up Tarrant when you see him? He should be waiting for you." Nodding her consent, Alice gave a quick curtsey before disappearing from where she had come. Waiting only a few short minutes Tarrant soon entered the room. As if he knew what she wanted to talk about, he turned around and made sure to lock the door. "Good to see you, Tarrant," she whispered, her voice slightly pleasant.

"It's no use trying to cover it up," he muttered, his voice deepening, as he turned and strode up to her. "What's wrong?"

"The Oraculum," she replied in a deadly whispered as her thin fingers pressed against the lock and loud clicks were heard. Watching the multiple locks click to show that they consented with giving up their hidden treasure, the last lock was finally heard before Mirana lifted up the heavy lid. Inside, surrounded by a shining blue velvet that was similar to Absolem, the Oraculum rested fully rolled up and bound by a white ribbon. Where the ribbon connected together there was a seal that prevented almost anyone opening the scroll. Reaching out, Mirana took the aged scroll in her hands.

"Did it foretell of something?" Tarrant demanded as the White Queen paled.

"Yes, something that I had hoped never happen again," she replied as she released the seal and let the right part of the scroll fall, showing the future. Placing the left side gently down, she walked down the length of the paper and stopped. "Right here." Walking up beside her, Tarrant bent down and gazed at the black-and-white drawings. On it was a drawing of Iracebeth and Stayne standing together in the Tulgey Woods as they gazed at Marmoreal. Behind them two strange figures that were cloaked in darkness.

"Is there anyway we can stop this?"

"No," she answered. "Everything that is written in the Oraculum will come true and you know it. All we can do is prepare and wait."

"_Wait_," he spat, disgusted as he turned from the Oraculum. "Wait for what we worked for to come tumbling down? Wait for everything to turn around again? Wait for that selfish bitch to come and take everything?!" he shouted. Mirana closed her eyes, thinking things over silently as she rolled up the paper.

"Yes," she admitted. "That's all we will ever be able to do. Maybe we have the possibility of nipping this in the bud, but it's unlikely. But when this comes, we will be ready for them and waiting," she said before replacing the valued script and locking the box firmly. "Now go be with Alice. I'm sure that she is patiently waiting."

"What ever you say, _your highness_," he muttered in anger. "And I suppose that you want me to keep quiet on something that Alice will probably be forced to be a part of again?"

"Yes, Tarrant, please keep the secret guarded closely," she whispered before Tarrant stormed off.

* * *

Alice sat anxiously on the floor outside of the place that led to the room she sent Tarrant into. She didn't know how long she had been waiting, but she was beginning to worry. Playing with her fingers, her head shot up as she heard a door being slammed loudly followed by angry footsteps. Shooting up to her feet like a rocket, she jumped slightly as Tarrant forced the door open and began to storm off in another direction. Following after him, she called out, "Hatter, wait!" Still he didn't show any acknowledgement. "Hatter _wait_!"

"Why the hell should we wait? So we can sit here like animals up to the chopping block?!" he said as he immediately turned heel to face her. Managing to stop herself from running into him, she looked at him, confused.

"Tarrant are you okay?"

"Okay? _Okay_?! Do I look fine to you!?"

"…No?" she offered.

"Everything is just peachy! Nothing could be better—"

"Hatter…"

"In fact, I feel like dancing a little jig, I'm so happy. Why, I feel like—"

"Hatter!" Alice yelled as she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. As his eyes turned back to their normal color, he stared at her, seeming slightly terrified.

"I'm fine…" he said, his voice high-pitched. Alice smiled slightly at his reaction.

"I'm sure of it," she whispered as she reluctantly let go of his face. Smiling at back her, he took her hands again and ran his thumbs over the tops of them.

"Sorry about that. Lady Mirana and I tend to…see each other on different levels," he explained as Alice and him began walked down the hallway towards the west tower. "On a different note, the hour grows late. Shouldn't you be readying for sleep?" he asked. Looking over at him, she laughed slightly at his question.

"I'm not in the least bit tired. Why should I try to sleep when I'm not tired?" she asked as they approached her bedroom; the door this time decided to be generous and appear. Opening the door before her, Alice responded with a small curtsey as she entered her room, Tarrant following suit. Opening up her wardrobe, he chose out a nightgown and placed it on her bed.

"Now be a good girl and get dressed and go to sleep. The moon's already high into the sky," Tarrant said as he walked back towards the door. Frowning as a sadness filled her, she sighed as she waved goodbye and took the nightgown in her hands. Giving her a sad smile, he waved back before closing the door. Listening to his retreating footsteps, she undressed and pulled the sleepwear onto her body before climbing into the large bed and attempting sleep.

* * *

The sleep was, as expected, fitful and filled with haunting dreams that caused Alice to wake up several times in the night. Eventually she could no longer stand the nightmares and finally she got out of her warm bed and stood, lonely, on the cold flooring. Not knowing what else to do, she carefully began to walk towards her door. Opening it quietly, she stepped outside into the freezing hallway.

Unsure of where to go, she let her feet guide her on where to go and she began wandering through the halls. Soon, she stopped in front of a rather large door with two handles, ironically, in the shape of top hats. Smiling as she guessed who the room belonged too, she quietly turned the handle and walked inside. The first portion of the room didn't contain much and Alice was unsure of what to do until she noticed a separate hallway.

Walking down the new area, she walked into another room that was curtained off. Pushing it aside, she saw a large bed with the sheets tangled and twisted around nothing. Moving closer to it, she tried to see if anyone was within the cloth mess.

"Alice?" Tarrant asked, surprised. The noise nearly caused Alice to scream but certainly sent her heart racing as she turned to face him. "Alice, what are you doing out of bed at this time of night?" Before her stood Tarrant, wearing nothing but a pair of pants.

"I was having nightmares," she whispered, still shaking slightly from the shock she had received from him.

"So you were walking around and going into other people's rooms?"

"I took a walk, hoping to clear my mind. I saw your door and wandered inside," she explained as he walked up to her. Looking past him, she saw that he had been working on something that was currently remaining on the desk placed beside the large window. As Tarrant sighed, she was forced back to him as she looked at him pleadingly. "Please don't make me go back. I'm so scared to go back to sleep, I keep having these nightmares."

"It's okay, Alice," he whispered as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and gently kissed her forehead. "I believe it's time for both of us to get some sleep. Come on, you can sleep with me tonight," he said as he wrapped an arm around her and led her towards the bed. Blushing slightly, but thankful that they lack of moonlight covered it, she crawled underneath the cover and situated herself comfortably.

"Thank you, Hatter," she mumbled shyly as he climbed in after her. Unable to help herself, she moved in close to him so her head rested on his chest. Instantly her eyes grew heavy and she felt like she was about to fall asleep. Glancing up at him, she smiled softly, "Good night Tarrant."

"Good night Alice. Try to sleep, okay?" Tarrant said as he placed his hand on her shoulder and leaning back into the pillow. Closing her eyes, it wasn't long until Alice fell fast asleep and he soon followed after.

* * *

A/N: How did everyone enjoy the chapter? I, for one, really enjoyed typing this up. The fact that I got this done on a really shitty day for me kinda makes the world seem a little brighter…I want to say thank you to everyone who reviews and gives me all this support that helps move this story along! Anyways, please keep on review and I hope to see both new and old faces on the story scene. _Fairfarren_ to all.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Welcome to the fifth chapter of Life After Everything Else. It's Shi-chan reporting here! How did everyone enjoy my last chapter? Well, this one should bring up some familiar memories to you fans of Through the Looking Glass, so do so enjoy the use of it in this chapter. Happy reading!

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Five: The Looking Glass, Part I

* * *

The grass was softer than she had expected and the air far more welcoming and clean. But still, there was a heaviness that she was unable to shake off, a feeling almost like being weighed down. Sighing, Alice continued to stare at the lush garden just at the border of Marmoreal, sitting by herself as she mused with herself.

She had woken earlier in the day in Tarrant's room cold and alone as Tarrant was no where to be found. Not even able to find a note, she left the room defeated and decided, with much prodding from Mirana, to go outside into the garden. Dressing in the clothing item that contained the least amount of white— she was beginning to get sick of the color— she went outside and had been spending the entire morning in the garden. By this time, she had grown immensely bored.

However, in her time alone, she had time to ponder her choice on staying in Underland. In her loneliness she had realized that she missed her family terribly and was deeply worried with how everyone was coming along and if they had noticed if she was gone yet. After all, she had been in Underland for over a week. Ever since her dream she had been wondering about all of her family and what had happened to them. "I can't stand this," she muttered to herself, like she usually did, and stood up from her seat. Striding out of the small area of the garden, she decided that she would ask the only person who could probably help her.

Managing to find her way out of the garden, she trudged up through the castle's hallways and stormed into the throne room. "Lady Mirana!" she called out as she walked up to the empty throne. Alice was confused at first, normally she would be found here. "Lady Mirana?!" she called out again, looking around. When still the White Queen didn't show up, she sat down on the steps, not knowing what else to do.

"What troubles you?" a quivering voice asked her. Glancing through the corner of her eyes, she saw McTwisp standing beside her, trembling slightly. Did all rabbits tremble or was it just him?

"Nothing, I'm just a little distressed. I need to talk to the White Queen but I can't find her anywhere."

"That's because she and Tarrant left earlier to sort out a dispute between the flowers. They've been fighting for quite some time now and it's starting to get nasty."

"That explains where Hatter ran off to as well," she muttered sadly as she let out another sigh. McTwisp's whispered twitched slightly as he stood still. Reaching into his coat pocket, he took out a golden pocket watch and looked at the time.

"Perhaps you could tell me what it was that you wish to talk about with Lady Mirana?" he offered. Alice paused, thinking over in her mind about whether he would be able to help any or not.

"I suppose I could," she mumbled before turning to face him. "A while ago back I had a dream about my family. Well, I was thinking about it earlier today and I was wondering what's happened to them and all that. I was hoping that Lady Mirana had a way that I could just see them…make sure that they're all right," she explained as she rested her head on her knees, staring down at McTwisp as he fiddled with the buttons on his waistcoat.

"Well there is…" he muttered uncaringly before he realized what he had said.

"There is? Show me!" Alice begged with great interest as the White Rabbit shook his head.

"No! No, I've said far too much already!" he said quickly as he took out his pocket watch again and glanced down at the time. "I-I have to go see Thackery. Immediately!" he said, his voice rushing as he began to hop out of the room. Alice knew instantly that he was trying to hide something and followed after him.

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Lady Mirana has forbidden it!" he squeaked as he tried to move as quickly as his furry legs could carry him away from the curious girl. "I cannot tell! I cannot!"

"Please, McTwisp? I'd be so very grateful if you did," she begged shamelessly as she followed the animal into the familiar kitchen that was completely deserted.

"I cannot!" he said again as he hopped back and forth from one side of the kitchen to the other.

"At least tell me why then!" she pleaded as she followed his pacing. Suddenly stopping his frantic movements, McTwisp looked up at her with his pink eyes begging her to stop.

"The last time it was used was when you fell through it. All of Underland was in turmoil and it was decreed by Lady Mirana herself that it shall never be used again unless in an emergency," he explained before taking out his shiny pocket watch once again and looking down at the black hands. "I must be going now, Time will be quite upset with me if I dally any longer," he said as he hopped past her and towards another door. Turning to look at her, he said, "Some things are better left alone," then disappeared.

* * *

The White Rabbit's warning of course didn't stop Alice in the least. In actual fact it made her more curious and even more determined to find this elusive object that could ease her worries. Now, she had only one person in mind who she knew could help her with her investigation. "Chess?" she called out when she entered another room. The rest of the afternoon she had been spending looking for the invisible cat but still she was unable to find him. "Chess, where are you?" she asked herself as she left the room and decided to try the garden.

As she walked amongst the flowerbeds a trumpet was loudly sounded off and Alice assumed that the party of the White Queen had returned home. Figuring that she should be present along with everyone else, she carefully made her way back through the garden and arrived at the gates of Marmoreal in time to see Lady Mirana come riding in on a white horse with Tarrant walking beside her. Smiling at his presence, Alice carefully walked through the crowd until she stood a few feet away from him. "Hatter!" she called out, waving to get his attention. But, strangely, he seemed to purposely ignore her and continued walking on.

The reaction caused Alice to fill even more so with sadness as her arm suddenly felt too heavy to lift and she allowed it to fall back down to her side. "Hatter…?" she muttered, confused as she watched him help Lady Mirana off the horse. They smiled warmly at each other, almost as if a secret message was passed along, until they were swarmed by the large crowd. Everyone started to move towards the castle doors, all except Alice, who was left behind. She continued to stand silently, trying to figure out about what just happened.

"Don't look so glum…" Chess's voice said to her as he appeared floating beside her. Shaking her head, she quickly wiped away a small tear forming in her eye and look to him.

"Why is it that when I try to find you you're no where to be found but when I'm hurt you show up?"

"You have a cat of your own, don't you?" he replied as he started floating circle's around her. "My kind has a tendency of doing so. Now, what is it you need me for?" he asked, almost as if he read her mind as he stopped in front of her.

"But how do you—" His famous Cheshire grin broke out across his face as he disappeared then reappeared beside her once again.

"I know you all too well, curious girl. You're looking for a way to see your family, correct?" Alice nodded. "Well then it was stupid of you to ask McTwisp. He'd die before he let the cat out of the bag. I, on the other hand, know the exact tool to use and can help you get to it." Pausing, Alice thought over the offer as the slit of Chess's eyes widened with glee.

"What do I have to do in exchange?"

"Nothing. Just…"

"Just what?" she asked, becoming slightly nervous.

"Well, this is an if, but if you ever become the next Queen of Underland, then I merely wish to have the best room in the castle."

"…That's it?" she asked, clearly skeptical.

"That's it," he replied, still grinning as he began to float around again. Another pause as Alice thought of the deal. It was very unlikely that this would ever happen to her, it was impossible to die in Underland, right? Then again, there was the whole 'off with their heads' thing. But Lady Mirana couldn't possible die. Or, for that matter, could Alice possibly succeed her. "So, do we have a deal?" Alice looked up to him and nodded her head. A soft purr came from somewhere in the feline's throat as he closed his eyes happily. "Wonderful…"

"But how will we get out? I'm not allowed outside the gates," she asked.

"You escape that one time didn't you? We'll just go back out that a-way and then you'll just follow me," he said as his body began to disappear. "Be ready in a couple hours, we leave at twilight."

* * *

By the time the agreed time came and went Alice and Chessur were walking through the Tulgey Woods, staying far away from the Outlands. Keeping up a steady pace they continued moving through all the areas Alice had visited when she first arrived in the strange world until they approached a place that truly made Alice shocked. "It's here?" she questioned as they walked past the sleeping flowers and to the small door Alice had to shrink herself to get through.

"Indeed. The trouble has always been getting back through, then down." Alice turned to look at him in disbelief.

"We're going down?" she questioned as Chessur floated up to door.

"Why, yes," he replied simply as he disappeared into the air. It wasn't long until the small door opened up and Alice got down onto her hands and knees. "Drink this," Chess said as he held out some pishalver. Taking the bottle, Alice closed her eyes tightly as she managed to swallow the disgusting beverage. Naturally, it didn't take long until she had shrunk down to the size of the Dormouse; easily able to walk through the door.

Thankful that her dress had shrunk with her this time, unlike her dress from London, she looked up at Chessur who was now nearly six times bigger than her. "What now?" she asked, still not understanding how they would manage to go down through the floor and back into the White Rabbit's rabbit hole.

"Hop on," he instructed as he bent down so she would easily be able to climb onto his back. Not sure exactly how he planned to get her through the solid floor, she climbed onto his silver and blue fur. "Hold on," he said as he began to disappear. Instantly Alice panicked. How exactly was this going to work out?!

Closing her eyes tightly, she felt something similar to a weightlessness and that he body was stretched out but with no pain whatsoever. She felt like the smoke that Chessur disappeared into. When the feeling went away, Alice opened her eyes and saw that they had traveled straight through the floor of the Round Room and were now floating around the rabbit hole.

"Oh my God," she said, amazed at everything we was seeing. The last time she had been in the tunnel she was falling through it so she didn't have much time to look around at all the things accumulated on the many shelves. There were crystal balls and skulls and so many trinkets that it caused her head to spin. "What are we exactly looking for?" she asked Chess as he floated back and forth from each shelf.

"A mirror."

"A…mirror?" she asked, not sure that it was the right object. With the way that McTwisp acted with just the mere mention of the object made Alice think that it would be much more…frightening? "How are we suppose to find that in this mess then?" she questioned as she helped with the search though she wasn't entirely sure what kind of mirror to look for. There were thousands of things that could be mirrors and she was sure that none of them were what she was looking for.

"He's hidden it quite well, I'll give him that much," Chess admitted as he stopped by a nearby shelf and allowed Alice to get down off his back. "But not impossible. I know where it is no matter how hard he hides it," he said as he landed on the shelf as well and began walking towards the back. Not knowing what else to do, Alice followed after the feline until they arrived at a mound of black silk.

"Nothing's here…" she muttered.

"Don't be so sure," Chessur replied as he took the silk in his mouth and pulled. It instantly fell away to a delicately designed wooden box. Opening up the lid, he took out what seemed like a small hand mirror and placed it on the floor in front of Alice. "It's the Looking Glass. When you were a little girl you managed to get here through that and so Lady Mirana ordered that it be locked up for fear that Underland would be discovered."

"I don't remember doing that," she replied as she looked down at the mirror.

"Well it doesn't matter much now. Just hold onto it and think of what you want to see and it'll show you," he told her. Alice fell silent, thinking of who see wanted to see first as she reached down onto the handle with her tiny hands.

_I want to see Mother…Helen Kingsleigh…_she thought as she looked deeply into the smooth glass. A faint glow came from it before a room appeared in the reflection. In the room her mother sat, wearing all black like she had done with Alice's father died, and was crying as she talked to a man in a police uniform. No voices came from the mirror but Alice could guess what was going on. Her mother thought her to be missing and dead.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the rush of the chapter but it was too long to be in one part so now it's in two. Make sure you all review and I hope to see you for the next chapter update!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: The exhaustion…the merciless exhaustion and heartless dark circles…God I love writing but it comes at such a price. I look like a true blueblood now! I'm so friggin' pale! If you took a black-and-white photo of me I'd be whiter than paper! –sighs- And now, it hurts when I blink because I spend so long just staring. I hope you all realize how much I do for you and my writing. My babies…don't worry, Mama still loves you so much. Well, it's nearly 10:30 p.m. as I'm writing this so enjoy my personal torment.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Six: The Looking Glass, Part II

* * *

She couldn't believe what she was seeing, flabbergasted on what she was looking upon to say the least. Watching her mother through the clear glass nearly caused the beating of Alice's heart to stop as she gazed sadly down upon it. Very suddenly the police officer rose and left her line of sight but was quickly replaced by her older sister Margaret, strangely dressed as she normally did but wearing a small hint of black over the loss of her. "I have to go back," Alice insisted. "I can't let my mother stay there and think me gone!"

"But you cannot return. Not only are you missing the Jabberwocky's poison on your personal, but you've given your word that you will stay in Underland," Chessur replied as he too stared down into the mirror.

"You don't understand!" she screamed as tears began to fall down her face. She was so upset, she didn't even know how to describe the pain she was feeling. She felt for her mother, knew what she was feeling. The feeling was similar to that she felt when she lost her dad those many long years ago. It was with that knowledge that her mother was being forced through the similar pain again that caused Alice to become desperate. "I need to tell her I'm alright. That I'm still alive!" she said.

"You don't understand very much either. There is no way that you could help your mother. You should've thought about this when you decided to stay here. Now come along," he said as he began to walk away from the mirror. Alice was beginning to have an idea form in her head…

"Are you planning on following suit or will I have to force you before Lady Mirana notices we've gone missing?" Chessur asked as he turned to look back at her. The front half of Alice's body was slipping through the mirror and was quickly being followed by the rest of her. Pouncing onto the small girl, he realized that it was too late to stop her and gazed sadly down at the glass as Alice appeared in the reflection.

* * *

Good God it was amazing what had happened! Alice still was in shock as she realized that her plan actually worked! She honestly didn't think that it would happen, but somehow it did. Quickly looking around everywhere, she didn't know what to do first. "I'm home…" she whispered under her breath. A sob escaping into the air reminded Alice why she had entered through the mirror in the first place. "Mother!" she yelled happily as her grieving parent sat a little ways off from her. Running up to her, she wrapped her arms around her and hugged her as she placed her head on Helen's small shoulder. "Mother, I'm home! Aren't you so happy, I'm home!"

"Oh Alice…" Helen said with a heavy sigh. "It's almost as if I can still feel you here, hugging me just like you use to." What?

"Mother…? Mother, I'm right here!" she exclaimed. Another sigh let out as Helen stood up and slipped right through Alice. This wasn't supposed to happen! "Margaret…She'll know it's me, she has too! Running past her mother, she went up to her sister sitting down on a chair and placed her hands over her sister's. "Margaret, it's me! Alice! Why won't mother notice me?" she asked. Margaret didn't seem to hear her as she stared right past her to gaze at Helen.

"It's only been a few days, Mother. I'm sure that she'll turn up soon."

"It isn't like her though, Margaret. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to the proposal with her and Hamish."

"Oh Mother…" Margaret sighed. "She's not even an adult yet, she's bound to pull stunts like this every one in awhile. Besides, you were merely looking out for her as any good mother should. I'm sure that she'll show up soon so please don't worry yourself over it."

"I suppose you're right, dear." Wringing her hands nervously, Helen stared out the window as she thought of what happened to her daughter.

Alice was confused, this wasn't supposed to happen! Why didn't they notice her!? Was she invisible? "Please…" she begged as she tugged against her sister's clothes. "Please notice me." God, she couldn't stay there. Maybe someone else would see her. She had to try _something_!

Running out of the room, she traveled through the different hallways until she noticed something that caught her attention. Margaret's husband, Lowell, was talking to one of the few maids that worked at the large house. Alice was too far away to hear what was being passed on, but she was able to clearly see what Lowell did and it made her absolutely furious! There the man was, trapping the young maid between the wall and his body, forcing a rather passionate kiss onto her; although the maid didn't seem to mind much at all.

Fury flew instantly inside her but it was soon extinguished as she realized that she was incapable of doing anything about it. "I might as well be a ghost," she whispered quietly to herself. What was she to do? It was pointless traveling through the mirror if all it would do to her is this. Deciding that it was no use staying where she was, she began walking in the direction of her bedroom.

Entering the familiar room, she breath in a sigh of slight relief; at least some things hadn't changed all too drastically. Walking up to her bed, she collapsed onto the welcoming mattress and rested her head on the soft pillows. Glancing sadly up, she saw the picture of her father and grabbed it. Surprised that her fingers didn't slip through it, she lifted it up and held it close to her chest.

"What do I do?" she asked the picture. "Mother thinks me dead, Margaret thinks I've simply run away, and her bastard of a husband doesn't care at all," she spat before looking down at the smiling photo of her deceased father. "He's far to busy shoving his disgusting tongue down some girl's throat to even bother worrying about her sister-in-law," she whispered, giggling slightly at her words. It wasn't soon until her eyes grew heavy from all her worrying and depression and it wasn't long until she found herself drifting asleep as she still held onto the precious photograph.

* * *

"_Alice?" a voice called out to her. She saw nothing but darkness and found herself trying to ignore the voice but soon found herself opening her eyes and sitting in wide field. There was nothing in neither the sky nor ground so Alice was able to see on for miles. "Alice?" the bodiless voice called out again. Turning around, she saw a familiar figure that caused her heart to burst with joy._

"_Dad!" she yelled happily as she ran up to her beloved father and was incredibly happy that he didn't disappear like he did the last time she saw him._

"_Alice, Alice dear, listen to me," he said, behaving strangely serious for once with her as he forced her to look straight at him. "Why have you done this?"_

"_Done…done what?" she asked, still smiling as if she didn't know what he was talking about. And to a certain point, she didn't._

"_Leave the place that you promised to stay in. I've taught you this before; you can't break your promises or you'll get into a lot of trouble."_

"_I won't!" she exclaimed. "I didn't break any promises either! I came back home to see Mother and Margaret. You don't understand, Dad, I had no idea what had happened to them."_

"_A broken promise is still the same no matter how to try to change the appearance," Charles lectured as Alice's face became more disturbed and upset._

"_But…but I didn't. I was going to go back—"_

"_How?" he inquired. "You don't know how to get back by yourself. And on top of that, you got here by going behind people's backs and you've also hurt someone who cares for you very much very deeply." Alice was getting frustrated, it felt like she was being lectured as one would scowl a child._

"_I was going to find a way back! Apparently I had before, why would it be so hard a second time?!" she demanded. Suddenly, things were beginning to start to slowly fade away around her._

"_But what if you didn't? What would you do if you were stuck here forever, no one every knowing of your existence?" her father questioned her before he too joined the disappearing scenery._

* * *

Jolting awake in a cold sweat, she saw that she was still gripping tightly onto the portrait of her father and quickly replaced it back onto its spot on the bedside table. The latest dream she had frightened her slightly and now she was more determined than ever to find out how to get out of her old home.

"There you are you sneaky little wench!" a loud voice shouted. Scared witless, she turned around quickly as she grabbed a nearby pillow for protection. On the other side of her bedroom stood Thackery beside her vanity mirror. "Everyone has been looking for you, the whole castle is in an uproar! It wasn't until that stupid cat told us the story that Lady Mirana nearly had a heart attack and ordered the mirror to be brought to her. She was about to be the one to go in after you but I offered and now I'm here to bring you back," Thackery lectured on as he hopped up to her and grabbed her wrist as he pulled her forcefully to the mirror.

"W-Wait!" she exclaimed.

"No! You've done enough trouble for one day. Not only have you nearly caused Her Majesty to faint on the spot but Tarrant in the biggest rage I've seen in years."

"T-T-Tarrant…?" she stammered, now slightly scared to go back to the beautiful world.

"Yes him!" Thackery yelled, clearly irritated at Alice's blubbering. "Now come on before you make him tear down the castle itself!" It was with these words that he forced her through the small vanity mirror. The feel of liquid passing through her, temporary as before, was all she could feel for a few moment before she emerged through the small hand mirror and into the throne room.

Alice felt that her cheeks were going to catch fire as she noticed almost everyone was present and all giving her the same disdainful look she had been given whenever, as a child, she had done something so bad it made her mother furious for quite an extended period of time. Even some people she hardly knew where looking at her before lifting something to cover their mouths in disgust. Gazing around the room, looking for one face different, she found Lady Mirana standing slightly away from her. Although it was not a gaze of hate and distrust, it was one of deep hurt.

"Everyone, please leave," she whispered, though her voice seemed to be heard by all. "I must talk to Alice…alone…" As if everyone was on cue they bowed and left the room in a giant swarm.

Once they were left alone, Alice looked up to her and attempted to give a smile but failed miserably as Lady Mirana continued to stare at her the way she was before. "Have a seat, dear," she whispered before retreating to her own throne. Deciding it was best to go along with what she was saying, she sat somewhat away from her as the White Queen stared at nothing, clearly deciding what to say. "I…I don't understand why you would do this, to say the least. I believed that you wished to stay here and I gave you whatever it was you needed to make you comfortable," she muttered, barely making herself loud enough for Alice to hear.

"I'm sorry," Alice said bluntly. "I know that I wasn't allowed to, but I needed to see my mother. She had lost my father before me and it made me so worried to think that she thought I had suffered the same fate."

"Why didn't you ask for me then?"

"You were gone at the time," she explained lamely as she twiddled her fingers as they rested on her lap. Lady Mirana still didn't look at her fully, obviously still not able to understand why Alice did what she did.

"Well I… I don't know what else to do, for the time being," Lady Mirana whispered quietly. "If there…there is anything I could do for you to make you feel more at home here, please just tell me and I will see to it the best I—"

"Could I…perhaps…wear something other than white?" Alice asked. The girl knew that it was somewhat selfish to ask, but she knew that she would not be able to stand another moment in the color. A small smile spread across Mirana's dark lips as she nodded in understanding.

"Of course, Alice. You'll just need to speak to—" she stopped suddenly as something dawned upon her. Alice stared at her, clearly confused.

"Ma'am?"

"You need to go and find Tarrant," she whispered sadly as she stood. "Last I saw him he was stalking off in the direction of his room. It is to him that I believe you owe the most apology to." She nodded, Alice could hardly argue with that logic. Standing up, she began walking out the doors but was stopped by a question forming in her mind.

"Ma'am?" she asked once again. "Will I…you know…need to be…"

"Escorted? I'm afraid yes," Lady Mirana said with slight sadness. "I'm sorry, Alice, but I fear for you running off again and getting lost. It will be for the best." Feeling slightly upset over the news, Alice reluctantly nodded her head in agreement before finally leaving the room.

* * *

Damn her! She promised! She said that she wanted to stay but then she goes up and leaves! Damn her to hell! Mallymkun was right all along, why the hell didn't he listen to her when he had the chance! He was a fool, that part was obvious enough. But to what extent did he prove this statement?

"Tarrant?" Great! Now his mind was playing games with him! "Hatter?" the small voice asked again as a knock was heard on his door. Wanting to know who the intruder was that toyed with his emotions in such a heartless way, he stormed up to the aged wood and threw it open. Before him stood and very flustered and once missing Alice.

"A-Alice?" he asked, wondering whether it was real or not. Smiling slightly, Alice nodded her head but didn't expect that as she tried to step forward she would get the door slammed right into her face. "Go away! I've already seen where you would rather prefer to go! Leave me at once!" he shouted in rage as he left the door.

Obviously surprised at his sudden outburst, Alice opened the door and braced herself, this was going to be harder than she gave first thought to. "Hatter…?" she called out tenuously. Immediately, she wasn't able to see him anywhere and stepped further in. Hearing the door behind her slam close, she turned to see Tarrant glaring at her.

"What do you want?" he spat wrathfully. Alice felt a cold chill run down her spine as he glared at her hatefully but refused to show her fear.

"I want to apologize," she retorted as she turned from him and moved further into his room.

"For what? I'm surprised that you even bothered to show your face around here. I thought that you lied to everyone, seeing as how you decided to leave so easily."

"I did not!" she shouted as she turned quickly to face him. Had he not stopped himself from following her he would have run straight into her but he stood and towered over her. It was hard not to be even slightly intimidated. "I…I came to apologize. I didn't know that this would have happened…" she said as her gaze faltered from his boring into her.

"You didn't know that it would happen," he hissed as he shoved past her and walked up to his desk that was placed by the large window.

"You make it seem like I did this on purpose!" she shouted, her own anger starting to boil with the accusations being thrown at her from the one person she didn't expect them from. Glaring at him, she watched as he removed his decorative tie and his jacket and threw them onto the table.

"Because you want me to think it a mere accident. We gave you a choice Alice!" he yelled. "And I don't understand why you would decide so quickly to leave. Are we really that uninteresting to you compared to your fancy London?"

"N-No!" she said, feeling a little hurt at the sting of his words.

"No? Then was it a different reason? Maybe you harbor hatred towards someone and could no longer be around them any longer?"

"You don't understand, Hatter! I was worried about my family and when I saw my mother grieving I wasn't thinking straight and I just dove in. Never once did I think of how to get back out!" she yelled back, trying to protect herself mentally as he continued to assault her ears.

"So you weren't planning on it in the first place!" he charged. Alice felt like bursting into tears. This wasn't suppose to happen, she thought that the Hatter, out of everyone, would be the most understanding. "Why don't you just leave, Alice? You've got the Jabberwock poison. Just leave, since you want to so badly."

"I love it here! Why would I want to leave?!" she demanded from him as she violently wiped at her watery eyes.

"I don't know, Alice," he muttered as he stormed about, not looking once at Alice. Flexing his fists, he was tempted greatly to destroy something. Anything to take his anger out on than the girl standing before him. "How the hell should I know? You were the one that left!"

"Why don't you understand, I never purposely meant to!"

"Why don't you understand how worried I was about you!" he nearly screamed at the top of his lungs. Instantly, everything seemed to stop around him. Alice was sure though that she felt her heart nearly skip a beat. "I…I thought that you would be lost for good," he said, starting to lose the earlier anger in his voice as it slowly was replaced with sadness. "Like when you were deciding. I was convinced that you don't want to be here. I don't want you to leave Alice." As he was talking, his once angry and loud voice got sadder and softer until Alice had to strain to listen but it still filled her heart with sadness. Had she really caused him this much pain?

"Tarrant…" she muttered quietly. Walking up to him slowly, step by step, she soon found that she was a mere breath away from him. Staring up at him, she saw just how sad he truly was from the mere thought of leaving her, or even watching her go.

Tilting her head up slightly, she straightened herself out somewhat and lifted up as far as she could go until she felt her lips press against his. The gesture filled her with a strange warmth as she reached out cautiously and loosely held onto him. After a few short moments, she pulled away as he didn't respond as he normally did.

"Alice…" he whispered as he stared down at her. "…Please go…" She could've sworn on her father's grave that she felt her heart nearly break in two at his words. Wordless, she watched as Tarrant politely walked her out of his room and deposited her outside in the hallway. "Goodnight," he whispered before calmly shutting the door.

Upon hearing the click of the door closing, Alice was broken out of her trance and stared at the closed door, almost willing it to open up again. Deep inside of her being she knew that it wouldn't and decided to walk back to her room.

Seeing the familiar white color, Alice felt somewhat at peace as she collapsed onto the feather-like bed with a heavy sigh. Pinpricks of tears dotted at the corners of her eyes as she thought of what had transpired between her and Tarrant. Her heart began to ache badly and she curled up into a small ball under her covers in an attempt to make it stop. "God above, what have I done?" she whispered to herself.

* * *

A/N: Well, your beloved writer is exhausted. It's just past 11 p.m. and I am now finished with this chapter. I'm actually very proud of myself about this, but the fact remains that I'm use to going to bed at 9 (don't laugh or I will stalk you…) so I'm about ready to pass out onto my keyboard. I will just simply leave off on this note and get some well-earned sleep. Good-bye everyone! Make sure to review and tune in for the next exciting chapter of Life After Everything Else!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Welcome back to the seventh chapter of Life After Everything Else! Again, I've included more usage of the lovely creator, Lewis Carroll. In this chapter, the Mock Turtle is shown as well as the song and dance he taught Alice in her first trip into 'Wonderland'. I do hope you all enjoy it and that'll you'll love what I've created for my fans. See you all at the ending author's notes.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Seven: The Mock Turtle Arrives

* * *

_You have been formally invited to the Mock Turtle's 110__th__ birthday party to be held at the White Queen's castle in Marmoreal tonight. Please dress appropriately and bring a gift._

Alice stared down at the quick invitation as she sat down in her bedroom. It had been quite a long time, three weeks exactly, since her adventure through the Looking Glass and things between the people living at Marmoreal hadn't gotten any better. Especially when it came to her and Tarrant, who still wasn't speaking to her.

Things were beginning to stress out the blonde very much as the only person who would hold a full conversation with her was Chessur. Her new escort was an incredible bore and the woman had a tendency to shoot down any ideas she had to entertain herself. Though Alice knew that the woman was with her for her own sake, she still was frustrated in the choice Mirana had given.

"Come along, Alice, the ball is in a few hours and we must make you _presentable_," the woman said as she walked into Alice's bedroom and walked up to her wardrobe and opened up the double doors. Her blonde, nearly white, hair was held tightly back and swayed as she looked through the cabinet.

"What do you plan on wearing?" Alice asked politely.

"A soft, sea-foam colored ball gown," she answered simply as she took out a dress and laid it next to Alice. Ironically, it was the same dress she was wearing with a hair ribbon to match it. "Get dress and call for me when you are done," she instructed before leaving the room. Glancing down at the white dress, Alice stuck her tongue out at it before picking it up and looking it over.

While Lady Mirana had indeed given in to Alice's wish, her escort still seemed intent on making her wear white to the party. The dress had a form-fitting top and the skirts bunched up in layers in different points as it splayed out in a puff. Cream colored highlights were everywhere: ribbons, lace, lining. Alice had no idea how to even get in the dress.

"Sapphira?" Alice called out to her escort. A disgusted sigh was heard behind her door before Sapphira herself walked back into the room.

"Can I help you?" she asked with fake pleasantness.

"Can you help me get into this?" Alice asked softly as she held the dress out. Rolling her eyes, the older woman took the dress and tossed it aside before reaching out to Alice to help her take off her dress before she paled considerably.

"You're…you're not wearing a corset…!" she stammered as she kept patting Alice's sides with her thin hands.

"I don't wear them. As I told my mother, would you enjoy wearing a codfish on your head? It the same thing for me."

"B-But you're not properly dressed!" she practically shouted before grabbing the hem of Alice's dress and lifting it up before she grew wide eyed. "N-No s-s-stockings…?" Alice believed that Sapphira was beginning to sound like her mother. Though she was starting to pity her slightly as she appeared about to faint on the spot.

"No," Alice replied sternly before yanking her dress out of the escort's hands and taking the dress off herself. Underneath the light blue gown, Alice wore a simple chemise that was so big on her that it nearly reached her knees. Now Sapphira looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

"Well…" she muttered as she took out a handkerchief and pressed it against her nose to help bring herself back into the waking world. "We'll just have to fix this. The Mock Turtle is a very important man and we can't be dressed this way now can we?" she said as she left the room and shortly returned with what Alice believed to be the devil in a garment.

"I will _not_ wear those," she spat with loathing as she glared at the clothing items Sapphira held.

"It is just for one night; you can put up with it for that long." When Alice still shied away from her advances, she furrowed her brow in anger. "If you do not do as I say I will tell Lady Mirana of your wandering off from me earlier today."

"I did no such thing!" Alice exclaimed in horror.

"She's doesn't know, Alice. Now, what will it be?" Offering up the undergarments, Sapphira smiled warmly at Alice before the younger girl turned to glare at her as well.

"…What do you want be to do?"

"Put on this chemise and stockings and I'll help you into your corset and gown afterwards," Sapphira instructed before leaving the room. Grumbling under her breath, Alice pulled off her old undergarment and replaced it with the newly washed chemise that stopped merely at her stomach. Sighing in annoyance, she began putting on the stockings she was given and finally knocked on her own door.

Walking inside, Sapphira gave Alice an approving smile before taking a painful looking corset and twirled her finger in a small circle. Doing as indicated, Alice reached out onto the back of the chair and held onto the wood tightly as she felt the death contraption's stiff cloth being placed against her stomach before the evil garment began tightening around her. "You'll thank me for this later, Miss Alice," Sapphira muttered as she continued lacing her up.

"I'm sure I—" a gasp stopped her as Sapphira continued with her lacing until Alice thought that she could hardly breathe.

"There. Was that so hard?" the woman asked her innocently as she gathered up the white dress and stuck her head through the opening. Soon, with much struggling from both parties, the dress was placed onto Alice's body. As she stared at herself in the floor length mirror, she tried to find a way to breath properly as Sapphira fixed any mishaps in the extravagant gown.

"Yes," Alice mumbled under her breath as the small clock she placed on her vanity chimed eight times for the hour.

"Oh dear, we need to get going soon and I haven't even started on your hair," Sapphira fussed as she hurried Alice to her vanity and sat her down in front of the mirror as she fixed her hair. Weighing her curls in her hand, she scrunched her nose up before taking the brush and moving it through Alice's hair until she deemed it worthy.

Pulling back the front of her hair, Sapphira held them back away from her face before gathering the rest of her hair and holding them up high on her head as she quickly tied it with a cream colored ribbon matching the highlights in her dress. Some of the curls fell away but Sapphira apparently didn't mind as she ignored them and took a simple white pearl necklace and tied the small ribbon holding it around her neck before giving a favorable smile.

"Well aren't you just the belle of the ball?" she said before helping Alice stand up. "Hurry along now before we are noticed missing!"

"Don't you need to get ready though?"

"Dear, I'm already perfect," Sapphira replied before hastening Alice out of her room towards the cavernous throne room.

* * *

"Alice! I'm so glad that you could make it!" Lady Mirana said happily as she approached both her and Sapphira as they walked into the crowded room. Waving politely, Alice planted a perfectly fake smile as the White Queen soon stood beside them and hugged her closely.

"I'm sure that you don't remember him, but the Mock Turtle certainly remembers you! You should be thankful that you were invited, my dear," Sapphira advised before giving the queen a friendly curtsy.

"He's told me that, if you have not exhausted yourself, he would wish for you to visit him sometime during the ball."

"I'd love to," she lied as she looked around for the person who the party was held in honor for. "Hmmm…I certainly don't see him anywhere."

"Oh! He's over there, don't you know," Sapphira said as she pointed to the back on the room as a strange creature sat upon a high chair that towered over all. Even stranger was that he seemed to be crying.

"What's his sorrow?" Alice politely inquired.

"It's all his fancy, that: he hasn't got no sorrow, you know," Sapphira whispered as Lady Mirana continued to smile cheerily. Smiling back, Alice performed a curtsy of her own as her gaze moved around the room.

"Where's Hatter?"

"He's not arrived yet. Don't fret though, he'll show up tonight. Now please, enjoy yourself," Lady Mirana said before she quickly waved goodbye and disappeared into the growing crowd. Sapphira sighed wishfully as she took out a feathered fan and held it up to her face.

"I must be on my way to. I do so hope that you can take care of yourself for one night," she said rudely before she, in the same manner as the queen, disappeared into the crowd. Not knowing what else to do, Alice traveled around the edge of the swarm for some time until the windows were opened and a gentle cough was heard. Everyone instantly shushed as all turned to face Lady Mirana as she stood beside the Mock Turtle as he sniffled quietly.

"As you all know," the White Queen's voice said gently, yet rang as clear as a bell, "we are here to celebrate the Mock Turtle's 110th birthday."

A round of, "here here!" was heard all around.

"And we would all like to wish you many happy years sir," she said sweetly as she turned to face the strange creature whose sobs had gotten louder.

"I just wish I could be happy enough to truly enjoy this," he said between heavy sobs. No one stopped smiling, which Alice found odd as she continued watching the animal.

"Is there a dance that you would like to see?" Mirana asked as she reached out to touch a flipper.

"Could you possibly…play the Lobster-Quadrille?" he mumbled as he wiped away several fallen tears with his free flipper as she nodded. Raising her hand towards the orchestra, they instantly began tuning their instruments before starting off with a soft melody as a woman stood before them.

In the interlude, people walked briskly around, finding partner's as the beginning slowly started to fall away. "May I have this dance?" a man asked Alice, smiling brightly as he held out his hand to her. Still not seeing Tarrant anywhere, she glanced back at the still smiling man and reluctantly placed her hand into his.

Walking her onto the dance floor, he kept smiling as they stood four paces apart; women in one row and men in another as they faced their opposite. When the music faded, Alice glanced nervously around and found Tarrant and Mirana partnered together somewhere near the end of the long line. Slowly, the music grew in sound as men bowed towards their partners and ladies curtsied in return. A pause, then as the orchestra started the brisk music both men and women took two steps forward to each other as a woman began to sing.

" 'Will you walk a little faster?' said the whiting to a snail. 'There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.' "

As the woman sang, Alice stood before her partner and raised a right hand with his and moved in a circle around each other to the left before switching hands and direction.

"See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!"

The spinning stopped as they moved closer and, with Alice's hands on his shoulder and hand and his on her hand and waist, they twirled around the dance floor in a dizzying manner as the music grew more fast-paced.

"They are waiting on the shingle—will you come and join the dance? Will you? Won't you? Will you? Won't you? Will you join the dance…? Will you? Won't you? Will you? Won't you? Won't you join the dance…?"

Suddenly, though it seemed Alice expected it, she was lifted into the air in a quick spin as he held tightly onto her before gracefully being placed back down and spun around and now faced a new partner. Smiling at him as the music quieted down, they both did their respective gestures as the music started up again. It was beautiful as they begun their waltz again, Alice listening intently as the violin played.

" 'You can really have no notion how delightful it will be!' "

Alice was entrance by the woman's voice; in the song she sung the beginning so quickly one was practically floating on air as they were forced to keep up. Alice wasn't sure why she was able to dance to the song so well. All that she knew was that it was so familiar to her that it even seemed that she was dancing better than the locals that lived in Underland.

" 'When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!' "

Here she was lifted up once again and practically thrown across the room. It was done so gently though that she landed with ease as a new partner approached her and took her hand in his as they walked forward together along with everyone else before Alice turned away from him, her hands still holding onto his as they walked around the room once again.

"But the snail replied 'Too far, too far!' and gave a look of askance—said he thanked the whiting kindly but he would not join the dance."

Once again she was picked up and spun around before being gently set down onto the floor as she was turned around to face her dancing partner. The dancing slowed down to where they spun slowly with each other at arm's length apart.

"Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance… Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance…"

Another short twirl before being handed off to her fourth partner.

" 'What matters it how far we go?' his scaly friend replied. 'There is another shore, you know, upon the other side. The further off from England the nearer is to France—Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.' "

More spinning, more waltzing, more turns until the music slowed down once more and she switched off partners once again. As the music fell to a complete stop, she realized in her giddiness that her new partner was Tarrant. A silence fell as they both stared nervously at each other. As the music started up one last time, much slower than ever before, Alice curtsied to him as he bowed before he took her hand and placed his on her waist and hers rested on his shoulder as they slowly danced in circles. The both of them didn't break their eye contact once, each entranced by the other's gaze.

"Will you? Won't you? Will you? Won't you? Will you join the dance…?"

Both Tarrant and her moved closer to one another as the woman's voice held onto the last note.

"Will you? Won't you? Will you? Won't you? Won't you join the dance…?"

When the song finished, all couples backed away from each other and applauded the orchestra and singer; all except for Alice and Tarrant who continued to stare intently into each other's eyes. It was like that that the both of them stayed a long time until finally Tarrant slowly let go of her and took a step back.

"You look beautiful today, Miss Kingsleigh," he said courteously as he took of his top hat and performed a brief bow towards her.

"Thank you," she replied with a slight blush. It was so strange, having him treat her in this fashion as they were hardly on speaking terms from their argument.

"I trust you are enjoying the party?"

"Very much so," Alice replied simply as she glanced away from him.

"Where is it that you learned to dance to that song so capably?" Alice was beginning to grow sick of the small talk.

"I'm not sure, the movements just seemed familiar to me in some way and I just went along with the feeling," she muttered, praying for something to tear her away from him so she wouldn't have to suffer the embarrassment any longer. Suddenly, she remembered what she had been asked to do at the beginning of the party and she turned to smile up at Tarrant. "If you could excuse me, the Mock Turtle has wished to speak with me for some time and I'd do ever so much hate to keep him waiting," she said with mock courtesy before walked straight past Tarrant.

Breathing heavily, though she wasn't sure if it was from the corset or the nervousness she had, she made her way through the crowd until she saw her goal sitting at a fancy dining table with some other lavishly dressed people listening intently to him as he talked between his sobs. Not sure what to do, she approached the table and stood quietly as she listened in on the conversation.

"Tis my way of looking at it, if one truly does want to do just that. The way I see things, the lessons my teachers taught me were of little use save the—" he stopped suddenly as he seemed to notice Alice hanging around in the background. "Have we met before?"

"My name is Alice?" she offered. Frowns spread across the entire group as women began fanning themselves and men stood up to escort the women away. It was only a matter of seconds until the area was cleared save for her and the Mock Turtle.

"I remember you!" he exclaimed suddenly as Alice sat down in one of the many empty chairs. "I met you when you were just a small thing. Very nosy, I must say. And rude at that. Also interrupting my stories and acting so high and mighty with your lessons! I had learned more in my time then you had as a child."

"I apologize sir, I was merely a child back then—"

"One can't blame their actions on what they use to be since they'll still be blaming themselves. It's a waste of effort and you should just say that you were sorry instead of blaming it on a time when you were younger."

"I suppose you're right…" she muttered, wondering how she came off rude as the creature continued his helpless sobbing.

"Of course I'm right, seeing as how long I've lived. Though that has such very little reference, for one might be stupid and lived to be as old as I! Let us hope that does not happen to you, hmmm?"

"Yes, let's," Alice agreed quietly as she thought of what a poor choice it was to talk to the Mock Turtle. Was there a way to escape from the annoying thing?

"Alice!" two voices shouted in unison as she stared helplessly into space. Running up to the sitting blonde, Tweedledum and Tweedledee smiled up at her as they grabbed on her hand and began pulling on her.

"Come along! Come along!" Tweedledee said gleefully as he pulled on her arm in an attempt to get her to stand up.

"You need to dance with us now!"

"Not fair! Not fair!"

"Okay, _okay_!" Alice said, gratefully for the excuse to leave. Standing up, she attempted to suck in a breath of air before smiling weakly down at the overweight twins and walking with them out onto the dance floor. As both boys held onto her hands and twirled her around, she found that it was getting harder and harder for her to breathe.

"Alice?" Tweedledum asked.

"What's wrong?"

"You're getting real pale."

"But her cheeks are gettin' all ruddy." Alice tried taking another breath but found herself unable to. "Goodness is she okay?!" Tweedledee exclaimed as Alice grasped at her stomach before leaning over slightly.

It wasn't long until she felt her lungs constricting tightly in her chest and she felt her heart about to explode. The last thing she saw before crumpling into darkness on the marble floor was Tarrant rushing towards here as screams were heard all around.

* * *

A/N: I'm a stickler for cliffhangers, sorry everyone. But you'll just have to wait to see how our heroine escapes from this bout of danger! Please review and tune in for the next exciting installment! _Ciao_!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Everyone's reviews made me laugh so hard, even when they weren't suppose to be funny. 'Damn corset' 'evil corset', I'm just glad people realized why she passed out! I told one fan/friend of mine ask about the chapter and when I got to the part where she passed out she looks at me and goes, 'because Hatter wasn't talking to her?' Made me laugh my ass off when I got home! Another friend of mine didn't understand why the corset would make her pass out and, in my effort to explain, I asked her if she ever saw Pirates of the Caribbean. Surprisingly, she said no, and everyone at my lunch table nearly attacked her. On a lighter note, I would just like to thank everyone who reads this story and tells me that I'm a good writer. It's people like you that make me so happy! So, with your words of praise, I'm proud to present Chapter Eight!

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Eight: Plotting

* * *

"Let her be alright," he whispered frantically as he lifted her lifeless body slightly up from the cold floor. "Please, let her be alright."

"Oh my God, what happened?!"

"She fainted just now!"

"The poor dear."

"The nerve of her; first giving all of Underland a scare with that mirror stunt, and now this."

"I do hope she'll be alright—"

"_Quiet_!" Tarrant shouted, not wanting to have to be forced to listen to the words people thoughtlessly spewed from their mouths. The whole room falling silent, Tarrant focused back on Alice and easily lifted her up in his arms. Looking around the room, he decided that no more was needed to be said then immediately strode out of the room. Briskly walking through the halls of the castle, he quickly made it to her room and rushed inside.

Placing her down on her bed, his hands immediately went to her sides and realized the cause of her problem. Under the fabric of the dress he could easily feel the tightly laced corset. Sighing, he began removing the dress from her body and tossed it aside as he stared at her body laying on the bed. "Why in the hell…?" he muttered as he stared at the undergarment.

Gently lifting her up so that she was sitting up, he leaned her against him as he slowly unlaced the stiff corset. "It's okay Alice," he whispered reassuringly. "I'll take care of you."

"Tarrant?! What in heaven's name are you doing?!" Sapphira exclaimed as she and Mirana ran into the room only to find him and a passed out Alice.

"Trying to save her," he hissed before working away the bottom knot and removing the corset from her body. Almost as if he could feel her suck into a breath of air, he carefully laid her back down and tossed aside the offensive material. Brushing away the fallen locks of hair that rested her face, he gazed sadly down at her expressionless face before he sat up and pulled a blanket over her body.

"Honestly Tarrant, this is no way to behave towards a—" Sapphira was stopped in her lecture, though, as Tarrant walked up to both women and pulled them out of the room and into the hallway.

"Who put that corset on her?" he demanded, the question indicated towards her escort. Sapphira swallowed nervously but refused to cower before him and straightened out her posture as she locked glares with the furious hatter.

"I did."

"_Why in the hell would you do that_?!" he practically shouted from how blunt the woman was.

Clearing her throat, she sniffed disdainfully at Tarrant before she took a small, fearful step back. "She wasn't properly dressed. No stockings, no corset, she was an insult really—"

"I repeat: _why_ would she need them?!" he insisted. When Sapphira didn't reply, he felt the familiar urge to do some sort of damage. At the moment, strangling the woman seemed that it would calm him down quiet nicely. "Did you ever think that this would _happen _to her?! She's hardly ever worn a corset before; and with all that moving about with the Lobster Quadrille it would have surely done the trick."

"Tarrant, please, calm down," Mirana begged quietly as her pale hand gripped onto the sleeve of his jacket. "Sapphira'll call on the doctor to look over Alice and I'll reassure everyone down who is still at the party. She's not dead, Tarrant, just out. I promise you she'll be fine," she whispered before she walked away with Sapphira reluctantly moving away in the opposite direction.

Not knowing what else to do, Tarrant ambled back into the room he had just left and soon found himself gazing at Alice's unconscious form. "I'm sorry Alice," he whispered softly. "I swear that I'll never let you get hurt again."

* * *

Three weeks. Three weeks they had stayed in the hell-hole Maxi called a home and Iracebeth was already sick of the narcissistic man so much she felt like killing something whenever she saw him. "Oh Betty?" a man's voice sang loudly from somewhere deep in the confines of the house. Flinching, Iracebeth continued to glare at her reflection in the mirror as she ran a brush through her flaming hair. "Miss Betty? Don't ignore me!" another song told her, the source closer to her than before.

"Go away, Maxi!" she shouted in annoyance. But it was too late for her warnings and threats and she knew it.

"Tsk, tsk, Betty. If you keep your anger up like that you'll blow a vein or something," Maxi scowled as he entered Iracebeth's bedroom and walked up behind her. Bending down, he gazed at himself in the mirror and quickly brushed away a stray hair from his face before smiling brightly at his reflection. "Perfect, no?" he asked, talking mainly to himself as he stood back up and smiled down now at Iracebeth.

"Where's Vondrea? Shouldn't she be here babysitting you?" Iracebeth snapped.

"Little sister? No, she left earlier to gather some food and…other things…" Maxi muttered with a simple wave of his hand. "Come along now, Betty, if you're ready. We need to talk strategy before Stayne decides to run off again."

"My name's not _Betty_!" Iracebeth shouted, her once pale face now turning a bright red. "It's Iracebeth."

"Okay, okay, _Iracebeth_," Maxi said, blowing his ebony hair away from his face. "Hurry along now." Standing in a huff, Iracebeth reluctantly followed after him, feeling strangely small beside him. Together they continued to walk in silence through the vast tunnels.

Three weeks ago Iracebeth and Stayne had finally arrived to their destination as planned: the home of Maxi and Vondrea. Maxi was a childhood friend of Iracebeth and her sister until something happened that caused him to be banished to the Outlands. Vondrea tried to seduce the King of Underland at the time then attempted to kill him. So when she was banished as well, she found Maxi and decided to join him in attempting to survive.

After they wandered around for some time, they decided to settle down near a strange spring similar to that Iracebeth and Stayne had encountered earlier. Together they built a vast home for themselves and soon other creatures and humans alike, either banished to the Outlands, forced to go there out of desperation, or a simple want, flocked to the small place and very soon an underground town was built from it.

At first glance, it would seem like nothing but a wasteland and a small pond. But underneath the sand was a single door that, when opened up, revealed a gigantic cavern that held many small houses. Water was stored in a large basin that ran into every home that originated from the small pond. Along with the huts were a series of several important buildings that were built into the walls of the cavern; these being as different as the wealthy to the government building. It was in one of those buildings that Maxi and Vondrea lived and graciously took in Iracebeth and Stayne.

"How's…Stayne been?" Iracebeth said with certain disinclination as they passed through several vast rooms.

"So, so," Maxi replied nonchalantly, his attention temporarily taken as he passed by one of many mirrors placed in the home. "He's been a little off lately. Vondrea's been visiting his room to try and…cheer him up but nothing seems to work."

"_What?!_" the woman replied with a scream. Clicking his tongue in a disapproving manner, he brushed away his hair once again as he went back to walking down the tiled hallways.

"Not that type. Just some tea and innocent chatter. Though how far it goes after that is beyond my knowledge." Blushing, Iracebeth looked away from him until they arrived, in silence, to a large room that Maxi had dubbed the war room. "Speak of the devil," he mumbled to Iracebeth before entering the room and sitting himself down in an extravagantly decorated and furbished chair that rested at the north end of a long table.

Seeing Stayne sitting down at the south end, Iracebeth fell quiet as she chose one of the remaining two seat and comfortably sat down. Glancing down at the table, she saw that it was designed with the entire map of Underland and had a grid pattern over it. "Impressive," she muttered to Maxi, this being her and Stayne's first time in the room.

"Thank you. Was murder trying to decorate this house and make it livable for my special tastes, but when we had a furniture maker come to the town I gave him enough money to last his family a long time and he did this entire house," Maxi explained with pride as he propped his feet up on the table.

"And what of the walls and flooring?" Stayne said, trying to create small talk. A door opened and slammed shut behind Iracebeth and turned around to see Vondrea strut inside, a slight look of anger set on her beautiful face.

"He had a man set them up and a glassmaker install mirrors and windows looking out over the town," she muttered before walking over to the remaining chair and sitting down into the worn leather.

"Something gone wrong, little sister?" Maxi inquired innocently as he took out a chess piece from a drawer on his side and placed it on one of the tiles. "H5," he instructed the small black queen and let go, watching pleasantly as it traveled by itself exactly in front of Vondrea.

"New members want to join," she hissed. "Annoying bunch, kept me held up for hours."

"Now I'm sure it will all work out for the best Vondrea," he replied happily. Watching with a slight frown as she flicked away his chess piece, he cleared his throat and sat up properly in his chair as he gazed at the three people in front of him.

"Now, we all know why we're here: to regain control over Underland," he said, his voice soft but echoing around the room. "Things are difficult, but it seems that it will be possible, though not until some time. At the moment, we hardly have anything one could call an army; and that's exactly what we'll need if we plan to overthrow the White Queen once again."

"What will we do once we come into power?" Stayne questioned, watching with curiosity as Maxi set up his chess pieces onto his side of the board. "When Iracebeth was in control, things did go well for awhile but they fell apart eventually."

"We can't have that happening on us," Vondrea muttered as chess pieces began flying around the board as Maxi continued muttering orders to them.

"I know an easy way to solve that," he whispered quietly, finally looking up from his ebony and marble pieces. "We'll all rule Underland with an iron fist."

"And how do you plan that?" Iracebeth demanded.

"Easy. Stayne will be in control of the army, as before. I will rule as King of Underland. And you, my dear," he whispered, turning to face Iracebeth, "will serve as my Queen."

"And what of me?" Vondrea questioned, brushing away her auburn hair from her paper-like skin.

"What is it you wish to do?" Maxi replied thoughtfully.

"I want to work beside Stayne in the army. I will be of more use there than sitting around on a gaudy throne," she answered with a slight smile from her red lips.

"Fair enough." Glancing over again at Iracebeth, who had fallen quiet, Maxi let out another smile before standing from his seat. "Once the chaos in our small town has quieted down and we've gathered enough people to make an army, we will then take over Underland for ourselves."

* * *

Pouring a more than healthy amount of red wine into two crystal glasses, Vondrea picked up the heavy glasses and walked over to Stayne as he relaxed on her couch that rested in the middle of the room. "Here," she said with a smile as she held out the glass to him. Glancing up at her, he took it and greedily drank as she continued to stand beside him and lightly sip at the red liquid.

"Thanks," he muttered before placing it down with a loud 'thunk' on the table beside the couch. Frowning, Vondrea placed her cup besides him and sat on the floor, her face level with his.

Turning his head, he looked deeply into her black eyes and sighed heavily. "What troubles you, dear?" Vondrea asked, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek.

"Nothing. I've just been thinking about a lot," he replied quietly. Pouting, Vondrea pulled herself up slightly and managed to lay on the couch next to Stayne. "Does Iracebeth's head getting smaller to you or is it just me?"

"It isn't you," she whispered, resting her head on his chest as her robe slipped lazily off her shoulder and managed to cling on enough not to reveal everything. "When she grew jealous of Mirana, her head grew. Now that she's been knocked down a couple pegs, she realizes that it was useless. Not to mention the extra bit of help from her being banished and her 'love' betraying her."

"I see…"

"Why do you even want to know?" Vondrea demanded as she rolled over so her body was completely over his. Despite the fact that she was a tall woman, she still hardly matched up with Stayne because of his long limbs.

"No reason," he muttered as he stared back at her.

"Don't lie to me Ilosovic," she whispered. "I'll catch you every single time."

"What am I lying about?" Stayne questioned. As her beautiful face contorted in anger, she shoved herself off of him and walked over to a screen as she began pulling her robe off.

"You're interesting in her, aren't you!?" she accused, throwing the fabric over the top of the screen as she growled in frustration. "You've already shoved me off your interest and looking back at little miss Betty because her stupid head is shrinking!"

Smiling at her reaction, Stayne stood up and took her full glass of wine and quickly downed the contends. After the glass was gone of all wine, he placed it back down and strolled up to the edge of the screen and looked at Vondrea as she finished tying a sash around her thin waste. "You're overreacting, Vondrea," he whispered as she turned around to glare at him.

"Overreacting?!" she spat. "I am _not_ overreacting!" Raising her hand, she was about to slap him but was stopped as he grabbed her wrist and moved right beside her within the span of a moment. One hand slipped behind her back and held her in place while the other still had a firm grasp on her wrist.

"I wouldn't do that, Vondrea," he warned as he slowly lowered her hand to wear it rest on his right cheek. "You know I care not for that harlot. Why is it that you need to be told this?" he asked as he moved her hand to his mouth and gently kissed the vein on her wrist. When she still didn't answer, he let go of her and pressed his lips onto her ruby red ones. "Answer me, Vondrea," he whispered.

"I don't want you to disappear," she whispered sadly. "Like I'm sure you've done with all those…other women you've been with." Stayne smirked slightly.

"I'd never do that," he muttered as one of his hands slipped through the opening of her rove while the other moved away from her back and began to untie the sash from her waist.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered as she could feel the silk slowly slid across her skin until her robe laid in a pile down at her feet.

"Good girl," Stayne whispered as he pressed her body close to his, revealing in the way she whimpered against his body.

"Stayne," she purred as his hand moved down her back, tracing her spine as his other palmed her breast. "Please," she begged. "Please, Stayne."

Grinning as her eagerness, Stayne easily picked her up and carried her off towards her bedroom. _Fool_, she thought as she clung to his body, feeling her back make contact with the silk sheets that belonged to her bed. _It will only be a matter of time before you serve no use to me_, she thought as she pulled away his clothes from his long-limbed body. _Until then, just bend to my will and I'll allow you to live in peace_.

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I didn't feel like writing too much with the introduction of the two new characters. For those of you interested, Maxi is pronounced MA-ksi and Vondrea is VON-dree-a. I think that they're very interesting characters, and I always love putting a narcissist in my stories and Maxi is one of my favorites. Next to Anthony, to those of you who read my Phantom story. Anyways, I'm sorry for the short chapter. I don't know how long it will be until I update again, seeing as I have three other stories I _need_ to write in. So it should take a least four days to update the next chapter if I'm feeling up to it. See everyone next chapter! Make sure to review and I'll update as soon as physically possible.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hello avid readers. How has everyone been lately? Yes, I know it's been well over four days, but many things have been distracting me. First it was my other story, where I got a sudden burst of inspiration and I just _had_ to write in it. Then there was school, where they decided to load down about I don't even know how many projects that required my full attention. And finally, there was the beloved writers' block. Yes, our greatest enemy and age-old foe. But I have overcome him and he is slain...for now. Anyways, please enjoy the chapter.

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter Nine: Revelation

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God this man was not helping his nerves in any way! True, he was the person one would turn to when such a thing like this happened, but with his constant head shaking and muttering under his breath, tensions were high. Tarrant sighed as he entered her bedroom for about the hundredth time only to see him still shaking his head. Crying out in exasperation, he stormed away from the door and slumped into a decorated chair in the adjoining room.

Why had he let his happen to her? Yes, he was mad at her for what she did three weeks ago, and yes he was still mad at her for it. But that was absolutely no excuse for the way he treated her and he inwardly cursed himself for it. Unable to keep still, he walked back into her room and up to her still form. Her skin was so pale that, if he hadn't known any better and wasn't praying to everything and anything that would listen to him, he would believe that she was dead. The usual color she always seemed to have in her cheeks had all but disappeared and her normal pink lips were very colorless.

As he gazed down at her, he remembered the kiss he had shared with her in his fury weeks before and cursed himself yet again for turning her away. He shouldn't have yelled at her, he should have at least tried to understand the conflicted feelings the girl surely must have been feeling when she made the decision to return to her world. But, no matter how much he grieved and apologized for his foolish behavior, he knew that it would change nothing.

"Well?" he demanded, his voice harsh as he turned to face the doctor who still bent over Alice's figure. Clicking his tongue, he managed to lift himself up and took off the tiny spectacles that rested on the bridge of his nose before rubbing the glass as he looked at Tarrant.

"Are you the girl's husband?" he questioned. Tarrant fell silent, not sure how to response to the question as the man stared at him. "Well, are you?"

"_Of course he isn't_!" a woman's voice exclaimed. For a brief, blissful second, Tarrant believed that Alice had woken, but fate was too cruel for that. Instead Sapphira and Mirana entered the room hurriedly. "What in hell's demonic name made you think _that_!" Tarrant had to admit it though, when frustrated Sapphira could muster up quite an interesting vocabulary.

"Now Sapphira, please," Mirana begged, holding onto the woman's arm to hold her back. "Let the man speak."

"Indeed. The young girl here seems quite out of it, but she should pull through. Just plenty of rest and she'll be bright as day in a few hours after she wakes," the man explained with a brief smile. The other man in the room stared at him, clearly confused with the doctor's words when compared to his behaviors before.

"Is anything wrong with her?" Mirana asked, announcing his fears aloud for all to hear.

"Not sure yet. It's possible that her lungs had suffered a bit of damage, but I'm sure not by much. I do advise though that she shouldn't wear them. Unlike most women who have grown accustomed to it with time, she clearly has passed the age where one would be introduced to them and grow...comfortable when wearing one." Nodding her head in gentle understanding, the doctor performed a brief bow before placing his glasses back onto his face and leaving the room. Not sure what to do, Tarrant sat in the chair beside the vanity as he sent a well placed glare towards Sapphira. The woman simply brushed it off without notice before picking her skirts up and walking out of the room with a courteous nod towards the queen.

"...I'm sure that she'll be happy to see you, Tarrant," Mirana soothed as she continued to stand across the other side of the room.

"After I yelled at her and ignored then, then didn't even bother to take true notice of her until it was too late? Yes, then, she'll be terribly happy," he spat, grabbing his top hat and carelessly tossing it onto the table beside him. Lady Mirana frowned ever so slightly at the gesture before walking over to him. Before she even made it halfway to him, Tarrant noticed a strange stirring coming from Alice's bed but thought it merely his imagination. Standing from his seat, he stood in silence as Mirana finally made it beside him.

"She cares for you, Tarrant," Mirana whispered. "Why is it that you are so stubborn to see this yourself? And trust me; it's not a care one would give to their brother or friend--"

"And how would you know?" Tarrant interjected in accusation as again he thought he saw the blonde stir.

"Because..." Mirana fell silent, clearly having an inner battle with herself on whether to admit the secret. "Because I once cared for someone the way she cares for you now...and still does," she breathed, tears threatening to spill out of the woman's dark eyes. Tarrant gazed at her sadly; about to apologize before she took a step towards him to seek mere comfort but instead found herself tripping over her own skirts. Easily falling, Tarrant quickly caught her and held her gently in his arms.

"Be careful," he whispered, low enough for her to hear and cause a slight giggle to erupt from her dark lips. She couldn't help but laugh at her clumsiness. Allowing him to help lift her up she -though she didn't know fully why- snuck a glance at Alice's form and felt her cheeks go red. Before the both of them was a very shocked, very angry, and very much awake Alice.

"I...I should be going," Mirana muttered, feeling incredibly embarrassed over the whole thing. Giving Tarrant a look begging him to talk to her, to help Alice understand both what happened and his feelings, she quickly left the room and closed the door softly behind her.

Swallowing a sudden nervous lump in his throat, Tarrant turned to face Alice as she glared fiercely at him. "I see you're awake."

"Yes, no thanks to you," she hissed, throwing the heavy covers off her body. Tarrant took just slight amusement in the fact that she didn't seem to notice she was just a few scraps of clothing away from being completely naked.

"It is thanks to me," he responded quietly. "It was me who brought you here."

"Bullshit!" Alice shouted, very tempted to grab a vase and throw it towards his head. "Just admit it; you don't care about me at all!" Tarrant could feel his body tense as he frowned at her. If anything, that was as far as the truth as she could possibly get.

"That's not true, Alice," he replied calmly as tried to walk over to her only to have her shrink away from him.

"Yes, it is! You care for...for _her_!" Staring down at the furious blonde, he never felt more confused in his life.

"Her...?"

"Don't play games; you know who I'm talking about!" Alice snapped. When still Tarrant didn't say anything, she brushed away tears from her eyes. "Lady Mirana!"

"Why...?" He was wrong before; this was the time he had never felt more confused. "Why would you think that?" Alice let out a groan of despair as she still tried fled from his presence.

"It's obvious!" she screamed, feeling like just collapsing onto the ground in a sobbing heap. But she wouldn't allow that. There was no way in hell she would give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "It's as plain as day that you love her!"

"Alice, please, listen to me--"

"Don't even try lying to me! I figured it all out. I didn't want to believe it at first. No, I wanted to believe that you...you loved..." Suddenly, her voice grew softer and quieter until he seemed to resemble a terrified child. But the spell was soon broken as she shook her head fiercely. "When you ignored me the day you returned to Marmoreal, even after I made it clear to you that I was trying to get your attention, you shrugged me off and continued walking. Then there was the ball; you were dancing with her and you were so damn happy!" Alice couldn't look at him, was unable to as she knew if she did she would do the very thing she was tempted to do.

"Alice..."

"And then just now! You seemed all too eager to take her into your arms when I wasn't 'around' to notice. Just tell me the truth, end my misery, and then get the hell out of my room!" God, she was turning into a pathetic heap. Her voice was quivering and her whole body trembled violently with both fury and the desperate need to want him to deny everything that she knew was true. It was so obvious from the way that he looked after the woman that he loved her.

Lifting her head, she saw that Tarrant was carefully walking towards her. She had lost her energy and didn't bother trying to back away from him. "Alice, you have to listen to me. I do love Lady Mirana, yes, but at the most it is like the love a brother and sister share for one another-"

"_Don't lie_!" she nearly shrieked, running up to him and pounding her fists on his body as hard as she could as her vision blurred from her tears. "I'm sick of your lies! Sick of them! Just admit it and stop playing with my emotions because I'm not some toy for you to use!"

Suddenly grabbing her wrists, Tarrant pressed her against her bedpost, pinning her body between his and the wood in an attempt to make her listen to him. "I'm not lying! I'm not playing games with you! And I am most certainly _not using you_!" he shouted right in her face as she was held still. Silence. Alice said nothing as she continued breathing heavily and looking down, away from his staring gaze.

It was at that exact moment that Tarrant was greatly tempted to take her completely in his arms and erase all of her worries from before. To reassure her that she had nothing to fear and admit to her that he cared deeply for the woman and admit that he longed to feel her lips press against his, her body close to his, just like the day that he and her celebrated her choice on staying. His green eyes falling down, he couldn't help but gaze at the rise and fall of her breasts from her heavy breathing and inwardly slapped himself. Now was not the time for such thoughts!

Yet he was unable to help but hold his breath as she shyly looked at him through her lashes before slowly lifting her head up to meet his gaze. Her eyes shone from unspilt tears and her lips her slightly red from where she had been nervously biting them. Gently loosening his grip on her wrists, he watched as her gaze turned away from him again and his eyes wondered over her once more. The undergarments she wore not only left little protection from prying eyes as well as leaving little left to the imagination for what waited underneath them. She clearly squirmed under him, but not from his gazing but from the thoughts in her mind.

Looking back up at her, he caught her eyes in his and gently released one of his hands from its grip around her wrist and brought it down to rest on Alice's face. Letting his thumb brush a stray tear that had escaped its prison that was her brown eyes he could tell that she was holding her breath. Really looking into the brown depths, he could see how much that she wanted him to deny everything she had accused him of, and how much she truly did care for him...possibly even love.

"It isn't Lady Mirana that I love," he whispered.

"Then who?" she demanded. Tarrant was taken aback, he most certainly wasn't sure how to response to the retort.

"I can't say," he whispered, but caught her chin to force her to look at him. "Not because I won't tell you," he quickly corrected, "but because I'm scared of what she'll do if I tell her." Yes, it was true. He truly was scared of how Alice would react. It hadn't been long that he realized the feeling himself, but when he saw Alice faint, he knew that he had to help her, even if it meant having to cross Underland to find help. It was then that he realized that he never wanted to care for any other person the way he cared for the girl standing before him.

"...Do I know her?" Alice questioned quietly.

"You could say that," he whispered, staring deeply into her eyes as he suddenly felt the strong urge to feel her lips against his once more.

Alice stared up at him, wanting deeply for him to kiss her the way that they had before. She wanted to give in to her passions that were raging inside her for the three weeks of solitude: anger, sadness, and especially the want to be close with the man who stood before her now. "If you claim all those pretty words, then how do you explain what I saw?"

"Lady Mirana tripped over her dress skirts. Besides, if anything will sooth your worries, know that Lady Mirana already has someone that she cares for very deeply as one would love, but that she knows not where this mystery man has disappeared. Or, at least, she won't tell," he explained, his hand that was resting on her cheek now moving so that his white fingers threaded in her golden locks. "Please believe me, Alice. I would never betray you," he whispered.

"I believe you..." she muttered, her voice growing soft and faint. Her eyes floated down, too ashamed to look at the man before her. She knew she looked defeated, and that he was more than likely right about what had happened. But why, then, was she still upset over it?

Looking up at him, staring into his green eyes, Alice tried to find something. True, she wasn't sure what exactly she was trying to find, but she couldn't turn away. It was almost as if his gaze drew her in, beckoning to come closer...

"Alice?" he asked, not sure what to do. He couldn't turn away from her, look away from her innocent brown eyes that held so much hope and promise. Watching with apprehension as she lifted her arms up and wrapped them loosely around his neck, his whole body tensed up as her eyes fluttered close. "Alice--"

"Don't," Alice ordered gently, her eyes still closed as she seemed to be thinking. Tarrant gazed at her, clearly confused as he waited for her to speak again. When she didn't but instead revealed her brown eyes, he was about to speak himself before he was stopped. And what had stopped him was Alice's pink lips against his.

Tarrant was taken by surprise, to say the very least! It was such a drastic change from the fury she was showing him earlier that, for a moment, he almost believed himself dreaming. _If it is, never wake up_, he thought as his arms instinctively dropped and wrapped tightly around her waist, bringing her closer as her lips shyly parted. God in heaven, Tarrant had found paradise and it was being held in his arms right now! he couldn't stop, he didn't _want_ to stop!

"_What in holy hell is going on here_!" a woman's voice nearly shrieked. Alice instantly backed away, causing the back of her head to hit the pole.

"S-s-s-sapphira?" Alice stammered her face a bright shade of red. "W-w-what are y-y-y-y-you-"

"I came here to check on you! But lo' and behold, I find this disgrace instead!" she shouted, walking into the room before she closed the door behind her.

"W-w-w-we w-weren't doing a-anything _bad_-"

"_And you're not even dressed!_" Sapphira screeched, nearly bursting a vein. "That's _it_! Out! _Out_!" Storming up to Tarrant, she grabbed him by his shirt and began pushing him towards the exit. When she successfully kicked him out of the room, she made sure to slam the door loud enough for all of Underland to hear before more shouts were heard on the other side. Tarrant couldn't help but smile.

Standing up from the floor he was thrown onto, he brushed his shirt from any dust and stared happily at the door. No matter what Sapphira said, Tarrant was not going to be avoiding the blonde he definitely had fallen for.

Before the day would end, Tarrant knew he would somehow, someway, get himself around to seeing Alice again...

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**A/N**: Everyone, I am so so so so so so so very _very_ sorry that it has taken me this long to update. My writer's block came back in the middle of the chapter and I would just stare at my screen, willing it to write something as I screamed in my head 'think of something, damn it, you can do it!' So, I had to make this chapter short before I ended up killing it and dragging it through the dirt. So...yea... Anyhow, since the next chapter is a milestone for me (tenth chapter) I intend to celebrate it with this, and I hope you take enjoyment in this. Secrets will be revealed and they should keep you all very entertained. Make sure to review and I'll see everyone next chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Oh my God, could it possibly be? It is possible that I have acheived the long awaited tenth chapter? Yes...yes it is. And I welcome all readers of every shape, size, gender, religion, etc. In this wonderful installment of LAEE, there will be backstories! Indeed, and secrets will be revealed and all sorts of other wonderful things going on that I can barely contain my joy! Now, I do hope everyone will enjoy the chapter and I shall hopefully see everyone at the ending author's notes.

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter Ten: Tarrant's Story

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Watching as darkness soon fell over Marmoreal, Tarrant stood beside his window, patiently waiting. The bright moon rose along with the increasing night, and he merely wished that it would be enough to light his way for the short journey ahead of him. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he stepped up to the clear glass and opened it. Waiting until it was wide enough to fit himself through, he then quickly climbed out and held onto it from the otherside. Able to see his reflection in the glass, he noticed his green eyes turn dark and took another breath, trying to reassure himself before he slowly climbed away from the window and out onto the stone wall of the castle.

"You're doing great," he muttered, forcing his gaze to stay at the dull colored stone. His fingers grasped tightly onto the small cracks inbetween each brick and he prayed that he'd make it as he climbed northwest.

Though he was thankful that his room was only on the fourth floor of the large castle, Alice's was all the way at the sixth up high in one of the towers. Tarrant knew that Sapphira was most definately going to be guarding Alice, since her bedroom was merely down the hall from the girl's, but it made it even more difficult to sneak to her room on foot since the older woman's room was right beside the only door leading into the hallway where the two rooms lay. So, faced with no alternative option, Tarrant gathered all the courage and stupidity he could find in himself that led him up to the moment he was currently in: scaling the side of Marmoreal's castle in attempt to reach Alice's room.

And, at times, it even seemed like fate was against him. The wind constantly bit at his skin and he would occasionally loose his grip for a short moment due to the lack of places to hold onto. But despite the difficulties he soon found himself beside Alice's bedroom window and was about to climb inside when he heard Sapphira's ranting.

"Honestly, child, what were you thinking? If my mother had found me with a man, wearing next to nothing, she would've had my hid!"

"Well I'm old enough to make my own descisions, Sapphira. Besides, you were asked to be my escort, not my mother."

"Does it matter? True, Tarrant is a good man; he's helped Lady Mirana plenty of times during the Red Queen's regine of terror, but I see nothing but bads news with him when it comes to the both of you."

"We're not even like that Sapphira."

"That's not what I saw earlier today, Miss Alice."

A pause. Deafening silence as Tarrant waited to see if more would be passed on or if Sapphira would retire for the night.

"Well, I at least hope that you can contain your...passion for one night. If I catch you sneaking out of your room, it'll be more than a scoulding that you'll recieve," Sapphira warned before Tarrant could hear her fading footsteps and the sound of a door closing. Breathing a sigh of relief, he quickly moved onto the ledge of the window and knocked.

Watching as the heavy drapes were pulled back, he smiled warmly upon seeing Alice's grin. The younger woman quickly unfastened the knob holding the window close and stepped aside to allow Tarrant to enter. "Hello Alice. Surprised?" he asked as she threw herself in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Very," she whispered, pulling away slightly so that she could look up at him. "But how did you manage to get in here like that?"

"Climbed the wall," he answered nonchalantly, acting as if it was the most obvious option in the world. Alice giggled quietly as she took his hand and led him over to her bed so that they were sitting down beside each other.

Tarrant stared in silence at her; he was so entranced by her simple beauty. Her face seemed to be glowing with happiness upon seeing him and he was unable to hold back his arm as it reached out and gently brushed back a stray golden curl away from her alabaster face. He found himself grinning back at her, gazing into her brown eyes as she did so as well with his green ones.

"You didn't have to come here," she muttered, leaning her head into his touch.

"I wanted to," Tarrant replied. If possible, her smile grew brighter as her hand reached up to grasp his that still rested on her cheek. Another silence passed with them just staring into each others eyes before Alice giggled again.

"Would you care to hear a riddle that I learned through Tweedledee?" she inquired. Nodding his head, Tarrant reluctantly pulled his hand away and placed it instead on the bed as Alie began. "John gave his brother James a box: about it there were many locks. James woke and said it gave him pain; so gave it back to John again. The box was not with lid supplied, yet caused two lids to open wide: and all these locks had never a key- what kind of box, then, could it be?" Alice asked.

"As curly-headed James was sleeping in bed, his brother John gave him a blow on the head; James opened his eyelids, and spying his brother, doubled his fist, and gave him another. This kind of box then is not so rare; the lids are the eyelids, the locks are the hair, and so every schoolboy can tell to his cost, the key to the tangles is constantly lost," he replied.

Her frown disappeared for a moment, clearly confused on how he knew the answer, before he couldn't hold back his laughter. "I was the one that told Tweedledee the riddle," he admitted. A silence passed, and Tarrant was about to say more before Alice took her pillow and playfully began hitting him with it.

"Tarrant that's not fair!" she exclaimed, trying to keep quiet as they both laughed. Attempting to stop the assault, he blindly reached out and managed to grab a hold of her wrists. Dropping the pillow, they instantly began wrestling for power over her wrists until they both collasped onto the bed, side by side as Alice continued giggling.

"Alice?" Sapphira's voice called out from behind the door. Smiling, Alice put her finger against her lips as they both continued listening. "Alice, what is going on in there?"

"Nothing, Sapphira," she called out. "I'm fine. I just remembered a good joke is all."

"Well could you please keep it down. God, it sounds like your running about with someone in there," Sapphira scolded before her footsteps retreated from the door. A paused passed between the two before they both errupted into fits of laughter. Managing to help her sit up, Tarrant smiled brightly at her as she reached out and touched his face.

"I'm glad you came," she whispered quietly, moving forward slightly so that she was close to him.

"As am I," he replied, closing his eyes briefly as he revealed in her touch. Opening his bright green eyes to look at her, he could tell something was troubling her as she touched his face. Then he remembered how weeks ago, though it seemed like ages, she had discovered how he hid his burns from everyone. His eyes saddening, he reached up and gently pulled her hand away, instead holding it in both of his as he sighed.

"You don't have to tell me," she consoled, glancing at the white paint that remained on her palm. Tarrant shook his head, lifting it to gaze at her. A silent understanding passed between them and Alice moved so that she was sitting beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. "I don't want to force you to do anything."

Tarrant stayed mute, wondering about whether he should tell her the story of his scars. It was difficult to talk about it, yes, but he felt that he could trust her with it.

"You've heard of Horunvendush Day, yes?"

"The day that the Red Queen took control over Underland?"

"That very day," he replied, wrapping his arm around her as he leaned against the backboard of the bed. "I have always worn paint, Alice, but more for fashion purposes than anything else."

"Like Iracebeth?" Alice inquired.

"Yes," he answered. "Now, when Horunvendush day came around, I was still working as Lady Mirana's hatter. I was with her and a handful of guards when we agreed to check on my home after Absolem discovered it's downfall."

"Then what...?"

"Then..." Tarrant paused, his eyes darkening to a deep red as he recalled what he had seen. "Then the worst thing happened..."

_Tarrant walked beside Lady Mirana as she rode atop her white horse, both of them along with a few guards traveling deeper into the Tugley Woods. "I'm sure that we'll make it in time Tarrant," the White Queen assured as they traveled closer to the Hatter's old home. "By the time we get there, we'll have enough time to evacuate everyone, so please don't worry."_

_"I'm not," he lied as he continued following the chess escorts further. "Just..."_

_"Worried?" she offered._

_"Yes..." he replied. Smiling, Lady Mirana rolled her eyes slightly as they approached an opening that led to the small clan village. Entering out into the daylight, Tarrant noticed that everyone was gathered around the Maypole in preparation for a birthday party. Smiling, he remembered that it was his younger sister's birthday today._

_"Here comes the happy girl, Tarrant," Lady Mirana said. "Go and greet her; it's been ages since you've seen any of your family."_

_"I have a job to attend to, do I not?" he teased as he watched his younger sister come closer._

_Without the paint, it would seem that she was the embodiment of her older brother. She had long, bright red curls that seemed untame and bright green eyes that shone with mischief. The young girl was small, today being her ten birthday, but what she lacked in size she more than made up for in intellect._

_"Tarrant!" the child called out happily as she ran towards her older brother. Smiling, he bent down in time to catch her as she ran towards him. Hugging him tightly, she smiled brightly up at him. "What are you doing here? Mum said that you couldn't make it because of your job."_

_"I can't surprise my little Aline anymore?" he teased, kissing her forehead as he let go of her._

_"Well I'm still glad your here!" Aline said. "See, Tarrant, I'm even wearing the dress you made for me!" she exclaimed proudly, quickly twirling around to show off the garment._

_"And you're the prettist girl here," he said, hugging her again before she laughed and tried to push him away._

_"Stop it, Tarrant!" she giggled. Grinning, he finally let her go a second time and watched as she performed a delicate curtsy to the White Queen. "Thank you for coming and bringing my brother home, Lady Mirana," she said. Smiling down at her, Lady Mirana gave a thank you before Aline excused herself and ran off into the gathering crowd._

_"She seems very happy that you're here," Lady Mirana pointed out with some glee as Tarrant scanned the crowd for her. Nodding his head, he quickly became distracted again as he still gazed at the celebrating crowd. He was still uneasy about everything, and the Oraculum's prediction of his home being destroyed sent a chill running through his blood._

_"Shouldn't we get about exvacuating everyone now?" he asked._

_"Let them celebrate a while longer," she replied. "Nothing has gone wrong yet, and there is no sight of danger around. Allow them their freedom for but a short while, then we can help them away." But still, Tarrant was not pleased. Something was terribly wrong, though no one else seemed to notice. True, he couldn't put his finger on it either, but the air was too silent and the animals that inhabited the forest seemed deathly silent._

_"I'm not sure about it a-" he suddenly stopped as both he and Lady Mirana noticed a terrifying creature in the sky. It was the Jabberwocky._

_"Everyone needs to get out!" Tarrant shouted, but still no notice. Panic rose up in him as everyone seemed to not notice the monster and continue with their party. "Do you not understand? You all need to leave or you will _die_!"_

_Yet, no sooner had he said the words than a giant ball of fire fell down upon the village. Screams instantly rang out as houses and lands caught fire. The flames only seemed to grow faster as people tried gathering their families. The soldiers that had come with him and lady Mirana went into the blaze to see if anyone could be rescued but they soon disappeared from view._

_"Aline!" he shouted. "Aline, where are you?" _

_"Tarrant!" the young girl shouted from the fire. Ignoring Lady Mirana's warnings, he instantly ran into the blaze in search of his sister._

_He was instantly assaulted by the heat and smoke, which filled his lungs and licked at his skin. Coughing violently, he called out for his sister but he never heard a voice back. Stumbling through the fire, he continued looking for her as he passed people that were caught in the inferno. Some were crushed by falling timber, and others died of the suffocation from the smoke. It was a gruesome scene to glance at all the burning bodies and be forced to smell the stentch of burning flesh, but still he pressed on until he found his old home._

_"Aline!" he shouted. A small sob was heard from inside the house and he was easily able to break down the burning down. Upon stepping inside, he saw his younger sister hiding herself in the corner of the room. Both of his parents were no where to be found. "Aline, it's okay," he said, running up to her and embracing her._

_"T-Tarrant," she gasped. He held her close, praying that a miracle would somehow happen. It was more than clear that she too would go the way of the rest of the village from the way her strangle voice tried to speak._

_"Don't talk," he order, feeling his own body start to fill with the deadly air. "I'm here now, it's okay," he muttered, trying to make her stop crying._

_"I'm scared," she sobbed quietly, her small hand clutching tightly onto his shirt. "Why didn't we run away?"_

_"I don't know," he whispered, holding her close as he could hear her breaths getting more desparate._

_"Don't...leave," Aline muttered._

_"I'm not going to," he promised, carefully laying her down as he put his jacket over her trembling body, seeming oblivious to the chaos around him. "I'll be right here with you."_

_Nodding her head, Aline moved close to her brother as the fire slowly began to consume the roof and surrounding walls. Her sobs were beginning to quiet and her eyes were slowly closing as her coughs became more violent._

_"Tarrant!" Lady Mirana called out. But still, the man didn't move as he tenderly held his dying sister. Though he could hear his name being desparately called out, he refused to move until she took her last breath._

"It turns out, during the time I was comforting Aline I had passed out from the smoke. When I had woken, I was on the outskirts of the village in incredible pain. I was told that I had suffered severe burns almost all over my body. When I asked for my sister, they told me that they already buried her along with any others that they found. I was the only person that managed to survive the fire out of my whole clan..." Tarrant whispered quietly, finally reaching the painful end to his story.

During the whole telling, Alice had gazed up with immense sadness as she listened to the story. She felt his pain, and understood why he hardly went anywhere without the paint. The burns would simply remind him of what he couldn't save.

Gently sitting up, Alice reached out her hand and slowly turned his head so that she was facing him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, sitting up on her knees as she studied his face. "I understand...the pain you must have been going through. That you lose everything dear to you and you can't get it back."

"Not everything," he whispered, taking both of her hands in his. Softly smiling at him, she lowered herself so that she was once again face-to-face with the man before her lips met shyly with his.

"I'll never leave you."

* * *

**A/N:** I lied. Sorry everyone, but I did not include everything that I had wanted to write about in this chapter. Why, you may ask? Well, I have braces and i just got a powerchain put over the first four top teeth. So, at the moment, I am in great pain that even Ibuprofen can't fixed and I have a horrible headache that makes it hard to stay concentrated. Also, I didn't want to give everything away at once so I decided to do Maxi's and Vondrea's 'secret' next chapter. I know, I sound like I'm complaining. But hey, that's who I am and no one is asking you to read my complaining. Anywho, please review and tune in for the next chapter were something very exciting will happen. Note: If you have ever heard the song Human Sacrifice, then you will have a pretty good hint about what the next chapter will be.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hello again fellow readers! It's the exciting eleventh chapter that I'm sure everyone has eagerly been awaiting. Before you begin reading, please note that I do not own the song Human Sacrifice or the...people that are involved in it. When this story was just a babe of an idea, I wanted to bring up certain...things that might have been left behind. So, after hearing the song (which I have become completely obsessed with listening to, mind you) I decided I wanted to incorporate it into the story. Now that that is out of the way, I wish you happy reading.

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Life After Everything Else

Chapter Eleven: The Building in the Forest

* * *

The sounds of the bazaar were pounding against Stayne's ears as he walked with Maxi through them. People swarmed around him everywhere; shouting, advertising what they had for sale, trying to talk to Maxi about their troubles they wished for him to solve. In truth, it was all very tiresome and Stayne had wished that he had chosen not to get out of the warm bed he had shared with the young woman back at the cliffside mansion and agreed with the ebony-haired man to have him receive a tour of the city.

"Now, over there," Maxi said after he managed to soothe the last of the people around him, "is the town square. That is where most festivals are held, as well as town meetings. Since we have so many different people that are a part of this town's life, we decided to included all their heritage so that they may all celebrate."

"Wonderful," Stayne muttered, not really caring about the town's history. Maxi, though, seemed to ignore the man's lack of enthusiasm and continued onward. "Besides, don't you think that you're rather overdressed for a simple walk about town?" he questioned, eying a small group of girls that gave a dreamy sigh after the man smiled at them.

"Now, why would you say that? If one always appears grand to the commoners, then it leaves a better impression," he exclaimed as they continued walking down the dirty cobblestones of the street. His face set in stone, Stayne watched in silence as Maxi would charmingly smile at whoever they passed and give them a warm greeting. Today, the man happened to be wearing a forest green shirt that went along with his black silk pants and vest. His long ebony hair was loosely tied back and fell gracefully down the black jacket that he wore. And finally, his black leather shoes walked along with the ebony cane he always carried.

"Come, darlings, I really must go. There is so much of this town I wish to show my friend," Maxi said, forcing Stayne to realize not only had they stopped but that the other man was also talking to two young woman.

"Then take us with you!"

"Yes, please. We'd love to show you around," the other insisted. Rolling his eyes, the taller man watched as Maxi kindly shook his head before gently grasping one of the women's chins.

"My dear, where we are going is much too dangerous for two women of such exquisite beauty. I'd hate to be the one that unknowingly brought harm upon you. So, if you please...?" The girls paused, glancing at each other before a silent agreement passed through them.

"Fine," said the first.

"But you have to come back and spend time with us later," the other added, both of them smiling. Maxi smiled kindly back, his dark blue eyes closing as he allowed them both to enter his arms and press close against him.

"Of course, darlings. I'd hate to disappoint you," he replied, kissing them both on the lips before they reluctantly left his arms and walked off. Stayne stared at their retreating back before giving Maxi a questioning gaze, only to have the other man chuckle.

"So where is it that you are obviously planning to take me?" he inquired as both men continued walking down the road until they walked off onto a less traveled dirt path.

"It is a place full of many questions...and many possibilities," he replied as they soon were surrounded by what appeared like a lush forest. Finding it all strange, Stayne tried to remember the view of the entire city from one of the windows of the house and recalled how, way far on the outskirts, was a small forest with a single roof of a building sticking out.

"Possibilities for what?"

"Many, many things," Maxi answered as they finally stepped out of the forest and into a small clearing where a two-story building stood alone. Guiding Stayne towards the door, he reached into his jacket pocket and took out what appeared like a silver key with a thin black ribbon wrapped around the handle. Place the key into the single lock on the door, he turned it until a click was heard and smiled. Gently letting go of the key, he then put his gloved hand on the brass knob and turned it until the door gave way.

Walking inside the dimly lit building, Stayne studied his surrounding for a short while until he heard the distinct sound of giggling. "Someone's here!" a child's voice exclaimed in delight, though they kept hidden in the shadows.

"They came to play!" another voice added before the sound of footsteps ran away from them. Stayne felt unsteady and didn't trust the bodiless voices, but watched with surprise as Maxi placed a hand on his arm, silently telling him to stay quiet.

"They'll be here in a moment."

"Who?" Stayne demanded.

"The children."

* * *

Iracebeth sat before a mirror in her bedroom, fixing her hair as Vondrea went through the few dresses she had bought in her wardrobe. "Honestly, I cannot see how you can stand to have so few selections!"

"I can't," she replied, trying to find some way to possibly get her hair to stay up the way that it use to when she was in power. But, for some reason, it wouldn't do it. After trying for about the twelfth time, she finally let it drop around her shoulders in frustration before grabbing some makeup and began to paint her face in hopes to calm her down.

"Here, let me," Vondrea offered, though it seemed more like a demand, as she turned away from the armoire and walked up beside Iracebeth as she sat before the vanity. Taking the brush she had put away, Vondrea began brushing through the fiery strands before they became tame and easy to deal with. "You can't put you're hair up like that anymore; you're head's too small."

"What are you talking about?" Iracebeth demanded. "I'm not different than the day I was banished to this god forsaken place," she spat. Rolling her black eyes, Vondrea ignored the woman and continued studying her hair. Sighing, Iracebeth glanced out the window beside her, the light pouring in from it as Vondrea began pulling her hair back. Scanning over the busy streets, she soon noticed a small forest surrounding a far off building and frowned.

"What's out there?" she asked. Vondrea looked up to gaze at what Iracebeth was staring at and sighed upon seeing the building.

"A dark secret that I wish not to dwell on," she said, quickly taking out a black ribbon and tying the front part of the woman's hair back.

"Tell me what is in there," Iracebeth demanded quietly as Vondrea forced her to turn around and began applying makeup.

"I can't; Maxi has strict orders not to speak of what lies within those haunted walls," she replied.

"I demand that you tell me!" Iracebeth shouted, her face turning bright red. "I have as much right as anyone else to know what the hell is in there—"

"Okay, okay!" Vondrea hissed. "Just shut up before all of the Outlands here you!" When the other woman finally fell silent, she took a deep breath and gently put down the things she held in her hand. Staring out of the window at the building, a small silence passed until she finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"When you were in control of Underland, Mirana was having the White Rabbit go into the other world and try to find her champion: Alice. The problem was that no one knew what had become of the child. She was but a babe when she was last in Underland and no one knew if she had grown at all. So, the White Rabbit would bring many Alice's back to Underland in hopes that it was the correct Alice. Taking them to Marmoreal, if it was proven that they weren't the right Alice then Mirana would make a potion and give it to them so that they would forget about Underland then they would be quickly taken back home. If everything went as planned, the Alice would believe that they merely had a strange dream and think nothing more of it.

"But, there were times when things didn't always go according to plan. We have three such cases in that house over there," Vondrea said, pointing her hand out over to the building. "In that building, four children live that Maxi and I found deserted in the Outlands."

"How did you find the children? Do you know of how they came to be there?" Iracebeth inquired, in sudden awe of this news. Naturally, she had no idea during the time of her reign of what her sister was doing, but this wasn't quite what she had imagined.

Not replying, Vondrea suddenly stood and mutely walked over to the window. Gently holding onto the curtain beside her, she waited until Iracebeth stood with her before continuing. "The first was a young woman Maxi found wandering the Outlands. He had heard of her from a new member of the city with some current news. She was a murder that McTwisp had stupidly brought into our world. Neither of us knew much about how she came to be abandoned out there, but she was so weak that she hardly protested when Maxi offered to take her to our town. However, as soon as she arrived everyone went into an uproar over fear of getting killed and we had to lock her away. That's what started the building."

Iracebeth swallowed a nervous lump in her throat, remembering the fear in the world so long ago. It was dangerous to go outside the confines of her castle, and the people the lived outside the stone walls trembled in fear every night. Eventually, the attacks happened less often until they completely disappeared. Though the horrors of the time disappeared, Iracebeth had always wondered what had happened to the person.

"She doesn't talk, so we don't know how she got to the Outlands," Vondrea said, interrupting Iracebeth's thought. Turning to look at her, the smaller woman noticed that she was in fact trembling as she stared down in fear at the building. "At first we just kept her in the building, but one day I came with Maxi to visit her and she suddenly and violently attacked me. Maxi ordered her locked up in a cage somewhere deep in the house and I haven't heard of anything else about her since."

"And what of the other children?"

"Well, later on we found a young boy who was practically dead right next to the entrance of the town. It was I that found him and I practically had to drag him back to this house. He stayed here until he was nursed back to health. It was around then that I learned he was named Alice back home, so I renamed him Cecil. Turned out that he was a wonderful singer and he lived here for quite awhile until the town began to fear him as well, so I was forced by Maxi to put him in that house as well," she explained sadly before reaching out and tugging a golden cord, causing the curtains to draw close as she walked away from the glass and back to her chair. But Iracebeth continued to stay where she was.

"And the last two?"

"Twins," Vondrea explained. "Most innocent things in that whole building. Maxi found them as well; one of them was badly injured and the other terrified beyond belief. He brought them back and raised them as if they were his own children. But he quickly grew bored of them and locked them up as well," she explained with slight disgust in her sweet voice. "And every once in awhile, Maxi will go to that cursed building to play with his 'toys'. They never think badly of him, and love him like he was their father. But, he tells me all the time of how he plans to use them for a better purpose than just rotting away in there. I begged of him to take them back to their homes, but he refuses to listen to reason."

"Speak of the devil," Iracebeth stated, watching out a small portion of the window that wasn't covered as Stayne and Maxi walked up to the entrance of the house, "and the devil shall appear." Hearing Vondrea stand up, she continued to watch enter Maxi and Stayne the house as Vondrea hurriedly left the room.

* * *

"Why were you not in the foyer earlier to greet me?" a deep voice demanded upon entering a lavishly decorated room where Vondrea slept her nights. The man's blue eyes, appearing like an ocean storm, stared at the cascading locks that fell gracefully down the woman's back. Walking up to her, he reached out for one of the wine red strands and curled it around his finger before moving close to her and reaching his hand around her to cup her alabaster neck. "Tell me, little sister," he hissed sweetly, "what were you doing that's more important than greeting me?"

"Nothing, I just felt no need to greet you when you have the maids doing enough of that," Vondrea calmly replied before being whipped around with Maxi holding tightly onto her shoulders, his blue eyes boring into her black ones.

"My dear,'' he whispered through clipped lips, "you know it is not wise to anger me. Now, tell me what troubles you."

Taking a shaky breath, Vondrea gently removed his hands from her and tried to walk past him only to be stopped by the cane that he held hitting the floor before her feet. "I wouldn't do that," he spat, his gloved thumb pressing against the top of the cane to have a shining blade spring out of the bottom. Lifting it up, he pressed the tip of the knife gently against her neck as he wickedly smiled. "What is wrong darling? I hate it when you're this upset."

"I know where you went today; I'm not stupid Maxi," she murmured in revulsion as she stood still for fear of the blade pressing further. Almost as if she could feel him roll his eyes, he brought the blade away before sitting in a chair.

"Are you honestly still upset over that stupid boy of yours?" he questioned, seeing a bottle of wine that was resting on the table beside the chair. Reaching out to pick it up, he studied it for a short moment and popped the lid off of it before taking a long drink. "You need to get over it, Vondrea."

"He shouldn't be in there, Maxi!" she shouted. "Cecil's never done a thing to deserve being put in that hellhole, but you did it in the name of your plans!"

"And I applaud him for his sacrifice; he shall be of much use."

"God damn it, Maxi, he's not one of your toys that you can play with for your own sadistic pleasure!" she screamed, turning around and tackling him. Maxi was prepared though, and quickly managed to pin her up against a nearby wall before she had the chance to claw his eyes out. Gasping in pain, Vondrea tried to squirm out of his grasp, but was firmly held in place.

"You've grown soft," he accused, carefully letting one of his hands go from her only to reach around the struggling woman and rest it against her stomach. "Just because one of the little brats we rescued gave you a good fuck doesn't mean that he _loved_ you, Vondrea. But no, you have to believe that you were meant to be," he whispered. "Besides, what of _your_ new toy? Stayne? Does he really mean that little to you? Or is he just an outlet for you to grieve over Cecil? After all, no man in this town will touch you anymore after they all learned of your love for an outsider."

"No," she whimpered, tears stinging the corner of her eyes as she fell limp against him and the wall. "It's not true…"

"You don't love Cecil, Vondrea," Maxi accused. "You never have; it's just you wishing for love and to be loved." Finally releasing her from the cage of his body, he watched as she simply fell to the floor, curling herself up in an attempt for comfort. Pushing back strands of ebony hair away from his face, he turned heel and walked up to the door frame leading out of her room. "Now, be a good girl and clean yourself up. I expect none of this when we are to discuss plans later tonight." Not bothering to wait for a reply, Maxi left the room and closed the door quietly behind him before strolling down the hallway, his footsteps and the tap of his cane the only thing to be heard.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, since now you know what I have been talking about, I might as well explain myself. If you remember, in the movie there was a scene after Alice came out of the Round Hall and into the flower garden where McTwisp was explaining about how he kept finding many different Alices, then went on to talking about how the animals wore no clothes there. You see, I wanted to use this lightly touched concept and make it into something that could be so wonderfully used! As far as I'm aware, McTwisp never went into detail on whether there was more than one Alice he had managed to get into Underland and, if he did indeed accomplish that, whether they managed to return home or not. So, I took advantage of a good situation and with the song as strong guidance, I bore these four people, whose personalities are also a bit altered. I'm not expecting everyone to like them, as I have been yelled at before when I presented this idea of incorporating the new Alice's into the story to a friend, but please do give them a chance as I do intend to make them an important role later on. So, please review, especially on what you think of the idea, and I'll update the next chapter a.s.a.p. Goodbye everyone!


	12. Chapter 12

****

A/N:

Hello and welcome one and all. As I'm sure you all know, this is the twelfth chapter in Life After Everything Else and I'm pretty sure that, according to the last chapter, everyone important has been introduced and set into play. From here on out, the pace of this story is going to start going a little faster now and it can and will become more graphic. Also, I will start including many more time skipping so that we can get right onto the exciting parts, with the occasional non-action chapter to just basically go over what has been happening. But, I will explain basically what has happened so that there is no confusion from any parties. So do please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Twelve: Conspiracies and Plans

* * *

The dust kicked up behind her and shined against the moonlight as Vondrea walked through the abandoned streets of the city that Maxi christened Godiva. The silence of the night was eerie and put the young woman on edge as she traveled down the many streets, seeking her destination as she tightly clutched a silver key to her chest.

Hearing chatter from off a distance, she quickly slipped the key in her dress as she turned the other way. It had been years since she had last visited the old building, but since the news she had been given a few hours ago she knew that she had to go back and pass it on until Maxi was the one that delivered it instead.

Finally seeing the hidden entrance into the forest, she paused by the side of the road, trying to remember the exact route to get to the building. When she could recall as much information as she needed, she took a long breath of reassurance before heading into the woodland.

Wandering around and going in circles, Vondrea soon found herself cussing in frustration as she kept having to retrace her steps before she was back on the original path. "Damn you, Maxi!" she hissed as she tried again to follow the path. But, like all the previous attempts, she soon found herself back at the beginning.

"What do you want?" she demanded a nearby tree as she stomped her foot against the ground. Sighing in irritation, she leaned against the tree as she thought over her dilemma. Turning her head to look at the path, a carving on the tree caught her eye and she turned even more to look at it.

Carved deeply onto the bark of the tree Vondrea rested against was the phrase 'When looking for something not found: get lost.' "Well, isn't that helpful,'' she muttered, pushing herself off the tree as she stared at the path before her. Deciding that she had no other choice than to try to advice, she turned towards the forest and began walking into the dense area.

"This better be worth it," she said, pushing aside plant after plant as she continued walking onward. Closing her eyes tightly, she continued on until the plants fell away and she opened her eyes to see that she had entered the clearing. Seeing the building that she had long been searching for, she instantly gathered the skirts of her dress and sprinted up to the front door before blindly digging into her dress and taking out the silver key. Shoving the key into the lock, she quickly turned it and forced the door open, running inside as soon as the opening was wide enough.

However, barely five seconds passed before she found herself being thrown against the wall and pressed against as a shining blade was held against her neck. "Who goes there?" a voice demanded. Vondrea instantly began panicking, thinking that her captor was the woman who had attacked so very long ago. "Well? Who are you?" the voice ordered again.

Why did the voice seem so…familiar?

"Answer me!"

"Cecil?" she asked, her voice shaky as she continued to stare at the dark wall. Instantly she could feel the blade's pressure lessen and she slowly turned around to face the man that was holding her captive.

"Vondrea?" he warily asked, staring down as the moonlight that came through the door managed to show some of her identity.

"Good God, it is you," she exclaimed, suddenly filled with relief as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging his close as he dropped the knife and wrapped his arms around her as well. "Thank God you're okay," Vondrea whispered over and over again as Cecil held her close.

"Ssh, my dear," he murmured, managing to pull her away as he gazed down at her tear-stained face, "be quiet before we are found. Why are you here; you know it's dangerous!"

"Yes, yes I know," she replied, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, "but I couldn't stay away any longer. We've been separated for too long." Instantly, her lips meet his in a heated kiss, full of love and longing as he brought her close once again.

"Cecil?" a woman's voice called out and he suddenly pulled her away. Putting his finger against his lips, he quickly opened a cabinet underneath a nearby bookcase and helped Vondrea into it before pecking her on the lips and closing the door just as the entire room burst into a bright light.

Wanting to know what was happening, she opened the cabinet door slightly so that she was able to peek out onto the foyer in time to see a woman with light brown hair that reached her knees appear at the top of the staircase. Though Vondrea didn't know who the woman was, one look into her auburn eyes turned her blood cold and she was unable to stop the slight trembling of fear.

"I heard a noise; what's going on down here, Cecil?" the woman questioned, staring down from the top of the stairs at the younger man.

"Nothing, Alice, nothing. It just seems that Maxi forgot to properly lock the door last he was here and I wanted to close it so that no animals would get in."

"That doesn't make sense," she sneered, "Maxi never forgets. And what of the shouting and footsteps?"

"I tripped and accidentally slammed my foot against the wall. I'm sorry if I frightened you."

"You did no such thing," Alice snapped, her bitter gaze resting on the bookcase that Cecil stood by before turning heel and climbed up a few steps. "Keep quiet down there, will you? If you wake Alice and Thomas you'll pay with your life. Close the door and turn the lights off before you come up here."

"Of course, Alice," he replied warmly, smiling up at her before she rolled her eyes in annoyance and finished her climb up the stairs until it was safe. Quickly moving back to the cabinet, he opened the doors and gently helped Vondrea out before falling to the floor beside her and hugging her tightly. "That was too close," he muttered.

"Who is she?"

"Alice Naismith; she's the one who…attacked you."

"I thought she looked familiar," Vondrea spat as she managed to stand up once again. "Isn't she was supposed to be in a cage somewhere?"

"Well, she is…" Cecil said shyly, standing as well, "but the twins found her one day and felt sorry for her, so they let her out. Now, she comes out during the night to get some exercise and look over the house. Now, tell me why you came here?"

Still in a daze over what had nearly happened, she at first didn't remember why she had come but she suddenly fell into a deathly silence and hurriedly brought Cecil out of the door. "It's Maxi," she gasped, "he told me just a few hours ago that he is planning to have you go to Marmoreal disguised as a beggar looking for work and have you kill the queen! If he is indeed mad enough to force you to carry out this plan and you get caught, not even a queen can stop your head from rolling!"

"I don't see the problem…" he replied honestly, staring at her sadly before she pushed herself away from him in frustration and anger with how calmly he was reacting.

"What do you not see? If you are caught, you will _die_!" she hissed quietly. "And I'm not letting Maxi send you out on a suicide mission! We need to leave and leave tonight!"

"I can't."

"This is no time for gratitude, Cecil, you need to escape before you're taken away from me—"

"Like before?" he calmly filled in. Vondrea helplessly gaped at him as she could feel more tears begin to fall. "Listen to me, Vondrea. Even if I did wish to go, I couldn't. Maxi put a spell on this place that makes it nearly impossible to find and hopeless for me or any of the others in this house to go beyond this little clearing."

"I…I won't stand by and watch you be sent off to your certain death!" she cried. Sighing, Cecil moved closer to her in attempt to calm her down but only found that she was forcing herself away. "No, I see how it is. If you truly wish to escape this place only to go off to a worse fate, far be it from me to stop you."

"Vondrea…"

"No!" she snapped, trying to ignore the tears that fell as her hands tightly clutched her dress skirts. "You've made it more than clear that you do not want nor need my help."

"Vondrea, please listen—"

"_Goodbye_ Cecil!" she shouted before turning around and running into the woods, far away from him. Sighing heavily, he reluctantly went back into the house and closed the door tightly behind him.

Slowly making his way up the stairs, he put out the candles that were lit before he finally arrived at the second floor and made his way down the hall and into the room located near the back of the house. "Are they still asleep?" he quietly asked upon entering the bedroom.

"Yes, no thanks to you," Alice said scornfully as she gazed at the slumbering twins, hearing Cecil take up a seat beside her.

"No need to be snide, Alice," he replied happily as he rested his head in his hands.

"I should have killed her," she commented, not lifting her gaze up from the children, "it would've taken me five minutes, tops."

"Now, that'd be rude." Alice scoffed at his words, watching intently as the younger twin, the boy named Thomas, began turning around in his sleep like he was having a nightmare. Frowning slightly, she reached out and brushed back his blond hair as she whispered soothing words to both children. Cecil continued to stare at the floor, unfazed, as she tried to carry a few notes before Thomas' fit passed.

"They're so innocent," she muttered, staring at their sleeping faces before pulling away and walking over to the door that led into the hallway. "If I could, I'd take them out of here…even if it killed me."

"You're just saying that because they took you out of that cage."

"Because that's what you did as well?" she remarked. He chuckled in return as he stood and joined her as she began to walk about the building.

"I was terrified of Maxi and what he would do to me. So, in the end, can you really blame me?" Rolling her eyes, Alice brushed her hair back and tucked it behind her ear as they entered an abandoned ballroom. Casually walking inside, Cecil moved up to the dusty piano and pressed against a few keys, frowning when he heard how out of tune it was.

"So what did the whore want from you?" she asked, leaning against the instrument as he hit a few more keys.

"She told me that Maxi is coming and that he is planning to take me out of here and to Marmoreal." His playing was abruptly stopped as his wrist was tightly held by Alice's constricting hand.

"Don't lie to me, Cecil. What did she tell you?"

"I'm not lying, Alice," he calmly replied, using his other hand to pry hers open and release his thin wrist. "She said that he's coming, though she didn't specify when, and that I'm to go to Marmoreal and murder the queen that rules there."

"This has got to be some sick joke," Alice spat in disgust, moving over to the thickly dust-covered windows and stared out onto the endless area of trees. "Maxi has made sure that we would never escape this place."

"I know," Cecil replied simply.

"Then why the sudden change of heart?" she demanded. Cecil paused, his fingers floating over the black and white keys as he stared at the empty stand where a music sheet once sat.

"Perhaps he's been planning this all along?"

* * *

Awaking the next morning, Alice smiled contently into her pillow as she propped herself up on her elbows and giggled slightly, realizing that she had fallen asleep with her clothes still on. Sighing happily as her mind flashed back to the night before, Alice got out of her bed and began humming to herself as she made her way to the large wardrobe that was placed off in a side room.

Shuffling through the many dresses that Mirana had graciously given Alice for her own use, she finally decided on a simple day dress that was, miraculously, a soft colored gray with small white accents in the trimming. Putting the dress on her body, she stared at herself in the looking glass and smiled, looking forward to showing Tarrant the newly discovered dress, before leaving the room and walking back to her bedroom where her vanity was placed.

Sitting down before it, she ran a brush through her blonde curls as she thought of how comforted she felt fixing herself up for once since the time she had Sapphira assigned as her escort.

Pulling her hair slightly back, she loosely tied it back at the base of her neck, allowing a few stray curls to slip out as she opened up a small drawer under the table and picked out a small pendant that she tied around her pale neck. Smiling at her reflection, she decided against using the make-up that she abhorred and left the vanity and was about to leave her bedroom to go to the sitting room but noticed a note left resting on the table that was placed beside her window.

Walking up to the note, she reached for it and quickly unfolded it.

_Alice,_

_By the time you are reading this, I would have already left. I'm sorry that I am not here to great you with the morning light, but I feared that your…lovely escort, Sapphira, would catch me sleeping with you beside me and would have sent the guards on me. I do so hope that you understand._

_However, I do wish to spend some time with you today. But I do wish for it to be private, for I have several things that I want to discuss with you and only you. If you desire to meet with me as well, I shall be waiting for your arrival in the kitchen._

_Till Then,_

_Tarrant_

Grinning at the note, she refolded the paper and tucked it safely away in the drawer with her jewelry before locking the small drawer and exiting the room. She entered the parlor-like room that joined with her bedroom with delirious joy.

Seeing yet another note placed on the glass table, Alice stared at it curiously before walking up to the table and picking up the decorative paper and opening it.

Dear Alice,

_It has been some time since I've last seen you, and I've grown slightly worried. If you're fine with it, I would care for you to drop by later so that we may talk. There are several matters that I want to talk about with you and I don't think that I can wait long to talk about them._

_Sincerely,_

_Mirana_

Almost like a flame having water poured onto it, Alice's earlier spirits were put out upon reading the second letter. Remembering how the last time that she had talked with Mirana, she had caused all of Underland to dislike her and had a nosy escort thrown onto her. Needless to say, she wasn't so ready to see the Queen once more.

Despite the reluctance to meet with the White Queen, Alice decided to go anyway to hopefully stay in favor and, with a heavy sigh, left her bedroom and left out into the hallway. "Good morning, Miss Alice," Sapphira said politely as Alice arrived at the door leading out of the hallway.

"Good morning," she replied, trying to remain pleasant as Sapphira began walking with her about the castle.

"So where is it that you wish to go today?"

"Lady Mirana has wished to speak with me today, so I was hoping to go there now," she explained simply as they passed the ballroom and began heading up a flight of stairs.

"In that case, I'll drop you off to her chambers then be on my way. I have to oversee a project that's going on in the garden so I hope that you'll stay out of trouble long enough until I can return?" she asked as both women finally came to a stop before a rather elaborately decorated door.

"When have I not?" Alice replied with a warm smile. Narrowing her eyes, Sapphira performed a short curtsy.

"Please stay out of trouble, Miss Alice. I shall see you again before dinner," Sapphira said before picking up her skirts so that the hem lifted from the ground and walked away. Rolling her eyes, Alice politely knocked on the fancy door, entering when she heard a faint "come in."

"Lady Mirana?" she called out, opening the door and stepping inside. A small shriek was heard and Alice instantly ran to the source of it, entering a side room where the Queen stood, coughing as a small vial spewed out smoke. "Are you okay?" Alice asked, walking further into the room as she tried to fan the smoke away.

"Just fine," Mirana said between coughs, trying to smile at Alice as she walked over to a nearby window and opened it wide. Smiling weakly as the smoke cleared out, Alice and her both began laughing helplessly. "I was working on a potion," she explained weakly, smiling brightly as she guided Alice out of the room and into the adjoining parlor.

"What is it that you wish to speak to me about?" Alice asked politely after both of them were seated. Sighing, Mirana reached out to gently touch Alice's arm as she smiled kindly at the girl.

"Sapphira told me about the other day when she returned to your room." Alice had the grace to blush as she began to stare at her lap nervously. "And I must say…I'm happy for you."

"Pardon me?" Alice asked, clearly confused as she stared at the woman.

"I can tell that you and Tarrant are happy together," she whispered. "And though I do worry for the both of you, I trust that you and him know what you are doing and that neither of you would do anything that's too rash."

"Of course not!" Alice exclaimed, reaching out to hold onto the Queen's hands. "We would never do anything of the sorts! We…we care too much for each other to let anything go _that_ far."

Mirana couldn't help but hold back her smile. "I believe you, Alice. Trust me, I do. But what is he to you, if I may ask?"

"He's…well…" Alice trailed off, unable to hold back her small smile, "he's…_everything_ really. There really just is no way to explain it, but when we were fighting all those weeks ago and he told me that he thought he was going to loose me, I just felt _something_, you know?" Mirana nodded her head in understanding. "And…when I saw you two like that last night—"

"Oh Alice! You know that was an accident, right?" Mirana exclaimed hurriedly, her cheeks burning red as she remembered how upset Alice was.

"Yes, Tarrant explained to me later," she calmly replied. "But, later last night he came into my room and we talked a bit…and he told me what happened to his home…and I told him that I'd never leave him," she admitted, blushing slightly.

"You really do love him, don't you Alice?" Mirana whispered, smiling when Alice nodded her head.

A silence passed between the two women as Alice fumbled with her hands out of nervousness before Mirana finally decided to continue on. "I want you to know that I choose Sapphira to be your escort for a specific reason."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Before she was your escort she looked over all the servants that work here in Marmoreal and she looked after me as well. She's always been the Mother Hen type, and she frets about every little thing," Mirana confided, smiling slightly. "Yes, she's strict, but it's just her funny way of showing that she cares for you. When my parents died, she took me in and became like my second mother, even though she's just a few years older than me. But, and please believe me when I tell you this, she only wants what is best for you like any mother would for their child."

"But what of her attitude towards Tarrant?" Alice inquired. "She's made it more than clear on several accounts that she doesn't approve of us." Sighing, Mirana clucked her tongue as she gently patted Alice's hat.

"Sapphira has been very reluctant to have people that she cares much about get into relationships."

"And why's that?" she asked.

"It is…a long story, and a story that I don't like to dwell on much. But, to put it simply, I was in love with a man who proved to be false and full of evil intentions. And since the time that he has left, she's been quite wary." Gazing at her sadly, Alice muttered her apologies for bringing it up, but Mirana simply dismissed her words with a shake of her head. "No, don't be. I want to be friends with you, Alice. I know it has been rough for us in the beginning, but I would take great joy in knowing that you and I could be close friends."

Alice couldn't hold back her caring smile at the heartfelt words Mirana said. "I would love that," she replied. Smiling back at her, she soon stood by with Alice and began to lead her back to her study, where she had earlier made the potion that had exploded slightly on her.

"Well, now that all the dreary talk is out of the way, there is something else that I want to talk about with you."

"And what would that be?" Alice inquired curiously, watching as Mirana began to put away the different vials, beakers, and funnels until the table was once again cleared. Staying quiet as she watched Mirana bring back papers and maps, Alice walked behind the wood and gazed down at one particular map of Underland.

When Mirana was done, she smiled at the papers and began to unroll a rather large scroll that was placed exactly in the middle of the table. Stepping closer to her, Alice gazed at a larger map of Underland, with many different areas that were not included in the first map she looked at. "What's this all about?" she asked excitedly, studying the chart.

"You are a person of great vision and ideas, and I can see that in you Alice," Mirana said excitedly. "And since the reign of my sister, I alone have been left to pick up the pieces and restore Underland back to its former glory, and now…I want you to help me."

"Are…Do you really want _me_? I'm sure that there are many other people here in Underland that could help you easily and—"

"Oh, this is no time to be modest, Alice! I know that, with the both of us working on this project, we could make Underland the wonderful place that it once was. So…what do you say?"

Alice stared at the drawing of the land, to surprise for words. What she was being asked of would definitely give her something to do instead of lazing the hours away, as well as it being something that she knew she would enjoy. "I'd love to," she whispered in awe, letting her fingers run over the flat surface. The Queen couldn't help but smile excitedly as she looked at the map with her and pointed to the area where two castles, a forest, and a desert stood.

"This is Queensland, a sub-portion of Underland. This is where we are right now. It contains both Salazen Grum, Marmoreal, the Tulgey Woods, and the Outlands."

"So how does this world work, exactly?"

"The Round Hall, where you had come out from, connects to all the different sub-portions of Underland's many parts. As I'm sure you remember, there were many different doors, and all of them lead somewhere new and exotic. Each place is different from the next. There is one other place besides here that I've been, and that's Looking Glass Land," she explained, now pointing to a nearby area.

"What's it like?" Alice asked, growing more excited as she thought of all the things she could work on.

"Oh it's so enchanting," Mirana breathed. "Rolling hills and the wonderful talking gardens. They're even bigger and have a vaster collect of flowers than the garden in Queensland. It was given its namesake because it's where we collected the Looking Glass, and every mirror in that land is another Looking Glass!"

"Amazing!" Alice whispered in awe.

"Yes…it was," she muttered. "Queensland wasn't the only place that suffered under Iracebeth's choices. All of Underland has endured her tyranny, and it wasn't without damage." Her eyes seemed to glaze over with tears beginning to form as she scanned the entire map. Shaking her head slightly, she smiled sadly at Alice before opening a book off to the side. "But that was the past and, with your help, we can look towards the future."

"Then I'm glad that I'm here to help," she said kindly. Smiling, Mirana nodded her head in agreement before the grandfather clock placed in the room chimed twelve times. "I'm sorry, Lady Mirana, but I have to go."

"I understand," she replied, almost as if she knew who Alice was meeting, before smiling and ushering Alice out of the room. "Come see me tomorrow and we'll talk more about what we should do."

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, my readers, I have something that I wish to talk to you about. Several things, actually, to be honest. I've just wanted to talk about what's been going on and a few mistakes I made.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, things are going to start moving quickly now that everyone has been introduced. There is actually only one person left to introduce, but they're not going to show up for a long…_long_ time. But, after I had introduced the different Alice's I am now ready to continue on full speed ahead. I know that it may seem that I'm unoriginal and just stealing ideas off other things, but I had been thinking of using some people like them and when I heard the song I just thought that it would be the perfect idea and I was unable to help myself with it. Concerning the thing with Alice and Mirana, I believe that Mirana truly does wish that she could become friends with Alice, and I don't want Alice just lazing about Marmoreal for the whole story, so I might as well combine the two. The whole idea of Queensland and the other areas I got from American McGee's Alice, a PC computer game that my cousin had recently introduced me to.

As for Sapphira, I'm sure that everybody absolutely _hates_ her since Chapter 10. But, please keep in mind that she is here _for a reason_! I don't just throw in random people that never help with the plot unless they're minor characters. People don't like her, but trust me that is suppose to happen; she is supposed to be disliked, by both the people in the story and out of it.

Another thing is that I apologize if it seems that I thrown in way too many extra characters in this story. I do it with all my stories because I believe that it adds suspense and drama, but I try not to overdo it, since I know at times I can get a little carried away. An example? The Alices. So I really do hope that it didn't seem like I introduced them too quickly or too soon in the story.

Lastly, I just want to express regret for my small plot mistakes. Jabberwocky poison instead of blood, Tarrant's back-story, etc. I just wanted to point out that I purposely changed his history because I needed it for a later plotline, so if it bothers you I'm sorry but I will have to crave your patience.

Sorry that this author's note took so long, but I had to get it out of the way since it had bothered me greatly. Being a perfectionist sucks, especially when I know I have typos in a chapter or something was written right in my eyes, so I'm sorry if it seems like I apologize too much as well. Thank you so much for reading both the story and my long author's note if you did that as well, as I look forward to both everyone's reviews, if they so wish to write them, and for their support next chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hello and welcome back to Life After Everything Else. As I'm sure you all realize, it has been a very long time since the last chapter update. I personally apologize for this, but I have been easily distracted as of late. My cousin's fiancée has been trying to help me fix the MS on my computer so not only have I been wrapped up in that I found myself battling once again the infamous Writer's Block. Added onto the slight depression I currently am going through and the quite sudden need to look up about sixteen books worth of research, it's been a little difficult for me to write anything I find good. So, if the chapter is not as good as others or you expected it to be better, I apologize. Now, unto the chapter.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Thirteen: Request

* * *

Alice arrived back in her bedroom several minutes later and already she noticed that something was different. Though she couldn't place her finger on it, she studied to room carefully and soon noticed what it was. Her wooden desk that once rested beside the vast window she had looking out onto the gardens had been replaced with a large table. Going over to it, she realized that the tabletop was made of glass and it was differently colored to show all of Underland. Small mosaic-like lettering informed her of the names of each place, as well as any villages or areas that had names as well.

Seeing that she had some time until she could go and see Tarrant, Alice sat down and began to look over the large table-map of Underland. Reaching out her pale hand, her fingers traced the boarders of each sub-portion as she looked over the entire area.

In the far west was Queensland. The area was by far the largest in all of Underland, nearly taking up a third of the entire map. Up in the far north was Marmoreal and Salazen Grum was placed in the south. There was a single path that split up into two, each heading towards the different castles. Near the Round Hall, placed exactly in the middle of Underland, was the Mushroom Forest and beyond that was a small clearing. Pressing her finger against the glass, she traced the path she took and found Thackery's house where the tea party was held.

Smiling at the memories, she continued on until she entered the Tulgey Woods, which covered most of Queensland. Off towards the east was the area where she had battle the Jabberwocky and somewhere to the west of that was a small star with the name of Tarrant's old home. Frowning now, she quickly continued on to look over the area and soon found a tiny opening in the Tulgey Woods near Marmoreal and read the small label: McTwisp's House. Her mind flashed back to when she was trapped in the house as a child and giggled slightly at recalling how McTwisp mistaken her for his maid Mary Ann.

Continuing on, she soon saw a vast desert-like area, labeled Outlands. Her mind flashed back to Stayne and Iracebeth, and she was wondering what had happened to the two of them since they were banished. As she thought, a soft knock was heard and she turned her head to face the door. "Come in," she called out before turning back to the map and began her inspection of Looking-Glass Land. Gentle footsteps soon approached the door leading into her bedroom where she sat and she looked up to see that it was Tarrant who was peeking shyly into her room.

"Is there something wrong? I thought you said you wanted to wait for me down in the kitchen," she commented, smiling upon seeing his face as she stood from her seat to approach him. "Sapphira isn't here," she added, noticing how he was looking around the room. He smiled back at her, offering his arm.

"Good. I couldn't wait for you to come down, so I went looking for you," he answered, walking out of the room after she linked her arm in his. Both soon left the room entirely and walked together down the hall and out of the tower.

"So, where are we going?" Alice asked excitedly as they entered the many hallways and eventually made their way out into the garden.

"It's a surprise," he whispered, smiling mischievously at her before they arrived at a trimmed bush in the shape of something that looked like a butterfly.

"Bread-and-butterfly?" Alice offered as Tarrant led her around it so that they were hidden by the leaves.

"It's been a long time since you were last here, I hardly thought you would remember them," he said before placing his hands on the wall behind the shrub and brushed aside the ivy. Studying the stone wall, the entire thing was covered in ivy and when Tarrant pushed aside a bit of it in a certain area Alice realized that it opened up to a little used gate. "Through here, before we're noticed." Nodding in agreement, Alice took his hand in hers and allowed him to led her out. Her heart beat wildly as she looked around at the new surroundings. She and Tarrant were now both outside without the usual escort always with her.

"This is so exciting," Alice whispered, smiling brightly as Tarrant gently led her further and further away from the vast gardens that belonged to the White Queen.

"I'm sure they won't mind you gone for a few hours," he teased as he led her down a path that looked very familiar to her.

"Tarrant?" she whispered. "Are we going where I think we're going?"

"Depends," he replied, "were do you think we are going?"

As he was talking, Tarrant brushed aside more leaves and allowed Alice to step ahead of him. A small gasp escaped her lips as she stared out at the scene before her. It was the lake that they had gone swimming so very long ago. Stepping forward, she also noticed that there was a picnic laid out beside the shore and she pressed her hand against her mouth. "Did you plan all this out?"

Smiling, he took her hand and led her over to the picnic and sat down with her before reaching into the basket and pulling out several pieces of food and laying it on the wide blanket. By the time he was finished, he noticed that Alice had already gathered herself a plate and was patiently waiting for him to do so as well. Quickly picking out his own food, he then rested and calmly began to eat as they both stared at the smooth lake.

"This is absolutely wonderful," Alice breathed, putting aside her plate as she moved closer to Tarrant, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for taking me."

"I wanted to do something special," he replied. "Besides, this is definitely better than the gardens."

"Much," she commented, smiling brightly as he rested his hand over hers. A short silence passed as they both gazed out at the gathered water some more before Alice decided to speak. "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Hm?" he said lazily before suddenly jolting up, flustered. "Oh, yes! I almost forgot! There are several matters, and I didn't think that I'd be able to talk to you today so they simply slipped my mind and-"

"Tarrant!" Alice said happily, gently taking his face in her hands as she stared into his changing eyes. "Just tell me."

"Quite right..." he agreed, smiling as he pulled away then took both her hands in his. "First of all...I just wanted to apologize for everything." Before Alice could interrupt, he shook his head and slightly squeezed the hands that he held. "Please..." he whispered, asking her to ability to freely speak. "When I say that, I'm talking about the fight we had so long ago. I feel like if I had just listened to what you had said, then you wouldn't have passed out during the party. Then...the whole thing with Lady Mirana..."

"Tarrant, I told you I understand that now," Alice said, slipping one of her hands out of his grasp to rest it against his cheek. "It was a mistake. And it wasn't your fault for what happened either. So please...don't blame yourself..." Nodding his head, he sighed as he let one of his hands go to rest above hers.

"I know... And I'm sorry for worrying you in such a way. I just...feel like if I had only-"

"Even if you could, Tarrant, something would've ended up happening," Alice interjected. "How else would we be able to get back together like this?" Smiling slightly, he pulled up Alice's hand to his lips and gently kissed the palm before returning it with the other.

"You're right. But...it's not just that."

"You can tell me," she whispered, trying to sooth him as he seemed to start getting flustered again.

"I know..." he whispered again in return. Taking a deep breath, Tarrant tried to calm himself as Alice rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand in a calming manner.

"Does this, by chance, have anything to do with that girl you told me about earlier?" Alice questioned gently, receiving a nod from Tarrant in return. A small silence passed before Tarrant sighed and began to loosen the ascot around his neck and carefully took of his hat and placed it off to the side.

"Alice, I'm just going to say this and get it out of the way...because ever since that night it has been eating away at me and I can't keep silent any longer about it." A curious fire arose in her as she listened to every word he said. Her heart began to beat faster and she could swear that she was becoming slightly dizzy from the sudden rush. "The girl that I was talking about...was you." Inside, Alice's heart nearly stopped beating entirely upon hearing this revelation. True, she had guessed this much from the way he had explained it to her, but there was always this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told her otherwise.

"...I love you, Alice." The words dropped onto the girl like a lead weight but then suddenly made her feel like she was going to either pass out or fly. Her heart was beating wildly now and she could imagine how flushed her cheeks must have been. During the time he had been talking after his revelation, she had been wrapped up in her thoughts and with those four words she had crashed back into Underland in complete awe.

"Pardon?" she said, unsure of what exactly had just happened.

"I love you," he repeated, now bringing up his hand to rest against her cheek just as she had done with him. "I have for as long as I remember but I didn't realize it till the Mock Turtle's party. I realized then because I was forced to think that I could lose you... And the very thought of that made everything around me feel and look lifeless. And...and there's more."

"More?" Alice inquired, staring deeply into his green eyes flashing so many different colors and shades at once to show his complete uneasiness. She was complete entranced by him, and found herself impatiently waiting for what this 'more' could possibly be.

"I..." he trailed off. Alice had to stifle a giggle as one of his hands let go over her to run through his hair is frustration. It was clear he was so nervous about how Alice would react to what he was about to say that it was cute.

"Go on," she urged.

"I... I wish to officially court you..."

In that simple sentence, it seemed like the world had just suddenly change. Alice was silent, completely taken off-guard by his request. Tarrant's brow furrowed at her silence, thinking that he had done something terribly wrong. When he began apologizing, Alice took his face in her hands once again, looking deeply into his eyes as she whispered soothing words to him.

"Tarrant...listen to me," she muttered, still gently holding onto him as she continued looking into his eyes, praying that he could see nothing but adoration and love in her own. "I... I love you too. I don't know when I realized it, but whenever I think of us apart my world too seems depressing and just...horrible. And in the time since I have come to Underland, it seems that I just fall in love with you more everyday," Alice explained, smiling down at him as he stared at her in rapt attention. "There is not a moment I can think of since I came here when I haven't felt something for you."

"You and I have gotten so close. Last night, you willingly told me your tragic story of what happened to you on Horunvendush Day then held me until I fell asleep. You climbed the side of Marmoreal just to see me!" she exclaimed happily, beginning to feel small pinpricks of tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes from the utter joy she was feeling. "You hid me when Stayne and the Red Army were after me then helped me escape right before they captured you. Then...on Frabjous Day you protected me and stood by my side till the end. In fact, I do not think that there is any way I could possibly love you more, Tarrant Hightopp."

"Alice..." Tarrant said, his voice filled with love as he tenderly reached up and brushed aside a falling tear. "Do you really mean all that?"

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed. "I've never loved anyone more in my entire-" Whatever more she said was stifled as Tarrant wrapped his arms completely around her and held her close, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I believe you..." he whispered. Slightly pulling away from her, he looked into her brown eyes as he smiled. "Now...I'll repeat what I had said earlier. I wish to officially court you, Alice. But I won't do it unless you're fine with it."

"Tarrant," she said happily, "what on earth could possibly make me say no?" Tarrant broke out into a wide grin at her words and brought her close to him once again, hugging her tightly as they both fell over and landed on the blanket which covered the soft grass. Alice laughed along with him, hugging him back just as tightly.

"I love you."

* * *

Tapping her fingers against the arm of the chair, Sapphira sat in Alice's parlor-like room connecting to her bedroom as the grandfather clock placed in the space chimed the fourth hour. Sighing in frustration, she leaned further into the straight back chair and held her head in her free hand. She had been waiting in the room since ten.

After she had dropped Alice off at Mirana's room, Sapphira quickly made her way out to the garden to perform her needed duties with helping the renovations of a particular area of the large gardens placed all over Marmoreal. Within a few hours she finished her work and was back in the vast castle, traveling to Mirana's room to pick up Alice.

Upon arriving to the room, she was surprised to discovered that Alice had disappeared. When questioning Mirana the whereabouts of the young girl, she was simply informed that Alice had left to meet with someone she had earlier planned to see. So, around ten in the morning, she decided to wait in the girl's room until she returned. However, she did not expect that she would have been waiting for six hours in complete silence and boredom.

Hearing footsteps appear outside the room, Sapphira instantly straightened her posture as she could hear whispered voices come through the only door leading out into the tower. A soft giggle erupted suddenly and, quietly, the front door was opened.

Where Sapphira was currently sitting was actually a good place to sit for what she next saw. It was in the corner of the room, hidden away from any eyes that enter the room but close by enough that she could see everything. But, no matter where she sat or how prepared she thought she was to talk to the girl, she felt like fainting from shock upon seeing Alice enter the room with Tarrant escorting her before kissing him and closing the door behind her, an obvious blush of delight painted on her face.

"Hello, Alice," Sapphira said coldly after the door was completely closed. The girl who she was speaking to seemed to nearly jump a foot in the air from shock before wildly turning around to face her, her mark of delight now turning to embarrassment and shock.

"W-What are you doing in my room?" Alice asked, trying to remain calm as she stood planted where she had entered the room.

"After my duties in the garden, I went back to Lady Mirana's to retrieve you and perhaps take a carriage ride so we could get some fresh air," she explained, serenely pushing back her white-blonde hair before turning her piercing green eyes to look into the other blonde's. "But, much to my surprise, Lady Mirana told me that you had left earlier to meet with someone else. So, I came here to wait for your return while I wondered who it was that you were in such a rush to see. Of course, it's obvious now who it was…"

"So?" Alice coolly replied. "Is there anything _wrong_ with spending my time with Tarrant? He's done nothing wrong."

"Oh? So last night he didn't take advantage of you while you were in such a weak-state after waking up?"

"I don't know how you managed to get the presumption, but Tarrant did nothing of the sort."

"I know what I saw Alice," Sapphira warned before holding out her hand towards the empty chair across from her. "Sit?"

"No thank you, I'm just fine where I am," she retorted evenly, not taking her eyes once off Sapphira's. She was determined to show this woman that she wasn't the least bit afraid of her. Smiling warmly, though Alice knew it was false, Sapphira nodded in understanding before folding her hands in her lap once again.

"So…what were you and Mr. Hightopp doing?" she quietly asked.

"We went out on a picnic in the…gardens and talked," Alice replied, picking her words carefully as she folded her own hands behind her back. "And Tarrant asked me if he could openly court me…and I accepted." Sapphira nearly choked on her own breath as her eyes grew wide from shock and her face paled. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"What…What _isn't _wrong with it?" Sapphira exclaimed, suddenly standing as her hands tightly clenched into fists. "Alice, please believe me when I say that I am simply looking out for you. And I do not think that your relationship with Mr. Hightopp is…is healthy!"

"And why not, Sapphira?" she calmly questioned. "He's a wonderful man."

"But also one that you've only recently been reacquainted with since you were but a babe! You've only known each other for a few weeks, a month at most! And now he is going to _court you_?"

"Yes he is," Alice retorted. "And at the next social event that Mirana is planning, we are going to make sure that _everyone_ knows." Gapping at her, Sapphira stared at the young blonde before clearing out her throat and calming herself down.

"Very well, Alice," she whispered, "be that way. But when you learn the _truth_ about him and find you no longer desire him, it'll be no use coming to me…" Performing a short curtsy, Sapphira then left the room. Alice, in complete frustration, wanted to scream as she walked into her bedroom and collapsed onto the welcoming mattress.

Leaning her head into the pillow, she thought of Tarrant and began to smile. Whatever Sapphira had said or done and what she would say or do didn't matter anymore to her. Now, it was only about her and Tarrant together.

* * *

"She is so _frustrating_ Mirana! Honestly! Like a rebellious child!" the blonde exclaimed as both women sat comfortably in large, plush armchairs as they sipped their black tea. "I try to help her, guide her like a mother would for any child, but she just throws it back in my face!"

"Calm down, Sapphira, please," Mirana asked quietly, putting her cup down and reaching out to gently hold Sapphira's hand. "She is still a child somewhat. Alice needs to learn and it doesn't always mean that she'll do that with your guidance."

"Mirana, you don't understand," Sapphira said in exasperation. "Alice does not realize what she is getting into when it comes to her and Mr. Hightopp. It's just a…a catastrophe waiting to happen!"

"And why do you say that?"

"Because of his sister! Surely you remember how he reacted afterwards! What with the death not only of his entire clan and heritage, but his most beloved sister; it would drive anyone to madness," Sapphira hissed before taking another sip of the tea, trying to sooth her nerves. "And now he has the gall to go and propose to a young innocent he's hardly known for even half a year!"

"They are _in love_, Sapphira. Neither Alice or Tarrant will care about what you think of them; they just are blinded for each other."

"Like you were with the Knave?" Sapphira snapped, her green eyes warning. Mirana glanced away, a light blush painting her cheeks at the memories.

"Yes… Just like I once was…" An awkward silence passed the two as Mirana nervous took another sip of her beverage.

"Tarrant is nothing but trouble," Sapphira continued on. "His obsession with Aline was unnatural. Not to mention that she was so much like our own Miss Alice. I just think that it's better if the two of them stayed apart _completely_."

"He doesn't love her because she reminds him of Aline, Sapphira," Mirana defended. Raising her eyebrows in question, Mirana's gaze lowered again as her fingers played with the handle of the teacup. "Trust me. I see it in the way that he looks at her…and in the way with how worried he was with her after the ball. He truly loves her, Sapphira. And she truly loves him. It would be in _your_ best interest to let them be. If it was meant to be, then it will happen no matter what you do."

"This is not like your storybook romances, Mirana," Sapphira scolded. "It's just like you with the Knave; Alice is suffering under a mere _illusion_. And I'll be damned if I let her go through the same things that you had to."

* * *

A/N: Hello again. During the time I wrote this chapter (well over two weeks) I had gotten much better. I can find the will to write once again so I'm very proud of myself for finishing this chapter. As I'm sure you realized by now, we have some new information popping up that could be misinterpreted if not properly understood. So, for your fullest reading pleasure, allow me to quickly explain two things.

One: Tarrant did not once harbor incestuous feelings and relations with his younger sister, nor does he still. I really don't do that kinda crap except in Godchild. But that's a different story altogether. Anyways, it's more of a sister complex that Sapphira is talking about or an inability to let go of the grief and past after experiencing the loss of Aline.

Two: When Sapphira and Mirana begin to talk of her past love, they refer this mystery man as the Knave twice. Please just let me make this very clear that it is not Stayne, also known as we all know as the Knave of Hearts, that they are talking about. The whole entire concept and story will be revealed later on in the plot line, but I didn't want people getting confused with that.

Again, thank you for reading this chapter and this story overall. Please review, as they always make me happy whether they are good or bad, on anything that you want to review about. Hope to see everyone next chapter. Bye.


	14. Chapter 14

Also, in regards to several reviews, I would like to address my editing. I _do_ realize that I have many typos and grammar issues, but I am currently unable to use spell check because it doesn't work on my computer. I've been getting better with doing it myself, but their are some things that I will still miss. I've also been going over past chapters and re-reading them _several_ times and fixing any mistakes I see. All I ask is that you please bear with me. My editor that normal helps me with this has decided to stay out of this story, so I'm on my own. Thank you for understanding.

Now, without further adieu, Chapter Fourteen.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Fourteen: The New Arrival

* * *

"I'm so glad that Lady Mirana allowed us to go out like this," Alice whispered in a conspirital tone as her and Tarrant sat beside each other in the carriage. The reason her voice was kept so low was because of the sitting across from them and glaring out the window: Sapphira.

"As am I, but I don't quite agree with her choice in our escort," he replied in the same low tone as he glanced at the woman. Alice couldn't help but giggle as she reached out and took his hand in hers.

"At least we're together," she muttered with a delighted smile as she pressed her forehead against his, staring into his bright emerald eyes. He nodded his silent agreement before Alice pulled away and decided to look out the passing scenery with wonder.

It was nearly two weeks ago when Tarrant had asked her while out on a picnic by the lake to openly court her. And it was a mere few hours afterward that Sapphira was informed and immediately sent into a rage. Though Alice knew not why, Sapphira made it more than clear that she was incredibly unhappy with the turn of events. As far as the blonde knew, her escort had talked to Mirana about it at one point and, instead of getting the reaction she wanted, Mirana approved of the relationship with joy and well-wishes to both of them. Alice remembered how nervous she felt, walking with Sapphira all the way down to Mirana's bedroom two days after the incident and standing before her as she looked at her with a dead-serious look about her delicate features.

However, instead of getting a lecture similar to that of Sapphira's, she broke into a wide smile and embraced Alice like one would a sister. She told her that she knew it was bound to happen and that she couldn't help but laugh at how nervous she could imagine Tarrant when he asked. After a short conversation, the Queen told Alice that she wished nothing but the best for both of them and that Alice simply had to come over for Afternoon Tea sometime soon. It was with that surprising conversation that Tarrant and Alice found themselves in the current situation.

One day, when Alice was having tea with Mirana, she brought up how she wished that she could go with him somewhere, possibly go on a tour of Queensland. After all, there was so much for Alice to still see of the large area and she imagined with Mirana's reaction to the news it would be surprising if she denied the request. And, just as she had expected, Mirana thought it a wonderful idea, but that she needed an escort so that rumors wouldn't start up. Thinking that the Queen herself would be that person, Alice readily agreed and left to set things up.

When the date arrived, to say that the couple was horrified to see that Sapphira would be playing to role of escort was putting things simply.

"It won't be long until we get there," Sapphira noted as she continued watching the trees pass by her. Nodding in agreement, Tarrant smiled at Alice as she began to idly play with her hair. After they had been given permission to go, Alice and Tarrant spent hours looking over different maps of Queensland and both of them agreed that they would stop at a place that appeared on the map like a untouched field before going back to the castle for supper.

"Are you excited?" Tarrant asked her when she finally turned to face him.

"Very," she admitted as the carriage came to a stop. Tarrant was the first to step out, helping Sapphira out of the carriage before doing the same with Alice. Linking arms with her, they both followed after Sapphira as she led them further into the woods. "Have you ever been here before, Tarrant?"

"No, I haven't, so I'm really looking forward to seeing it with you," he whispered, too low for Sapphira to hear as they followed behind her.

Smiling her agreement, the couple continued to walk until a clearing opened up through the dense trees. Sapphira was the first to step into it, and stood aside as Alice and Tarrant soon joined her. It seemed the Alice could feel her breath leaving her body as she stared at the beautiful picture placed before her.

The entire field was huge, about half the size of Marmoreal's gardens, and was completely filled with the most peculiar looking flowers. Though they didn't have any faces like the ones Alice was accustomed by now to seeing, she could tell that these flowers could only be found in Underland. Along with the flowers was the small creek winding it's way through the grass, and it glistened as the sun shone brightly down upon it. Despite the fact that the Outlands was a ten minutes walk away from the place, the field was so breathtaking that Alice could hardly believe that it was able to grow next to such a barren wasteland.

Turning to face Tarrant, Alice was about to ask him what he thought of the place but was stopped as he seemed to be staring at something. "Tarrant...?" she asked, confused, as he squinted off into the distance. Following his gaze, she looked out onto the field as well and soon noticed what appeared like a large mound resting near the river. Turning to look at her escort, she quickly realized that Sapphira noticed it too.

Before either women could comment on the mysterious object, Tarrant left Alice's side and began walking towards it. "Tarrant, wait!" she called out, but it seemed useless. Not even bothering for Sapphira's advice, she picked up the folds of her dress and began running after him just as he was a few feet from the bundle. From where she was, Alice could see that it was breathing.

Watching as Tarrant approached the living thing, Alice stopped in her tracks and held her breath. Whatever the thing was, it was obviously injured. It's breathing was fast and shallow, clearly that of someone in pain. Falling silent, she kept her distance as Tarrant went to his knees and lifted the end of the cloth covering it. Though it seemed like hours, a few minutes passed before Tarrant pushed the cloth aside and stood. "Take care of him, Alice," he ordered, his voice harsh and deep as he walked past her towards the direction of the carriage. "I'm going to go back to Marmoreal and get someone to help us. Be on your guard." Nodding in understanding, Alice wondered why Tarrant had so suddenly changed as she walked over to the fall man.

However, she wasn't prepared to see what exactly had happened to him.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, covering her mouth as she stared at him. The cloth that had been providing him little warmth and shelter had been pulled away and showed the horror of what happened to him.

Just on his head alone, Alice could clearly see the dried blood that had caked onto his black hair and pale skin along with the fresh blood falling in a thick river from somewhere on his head down across his whole face. Purple bruises blossomed everywhere that she could see and various cuts were also evident. A large lump was also visible high on his forehead and both his eyes were blackened. His lips were cut as well.

Terrified at what she saw, Alice could feel tears forming in her eyes as she tried not to gag. The man's blue eyes slowly lifted up towards her and locked with her brown ones. "H-Help..." his voice managed to sputter. The two orbs closed and Alice could clearly see a stab wound right above his left eye. He probably couldn't see out of that one...

Reaching out a trembling hand, Alice assured herself that she needed to see his other wounds to see what his condition was and quickly pulled away the rest of the blanket. If anything, it was worse, and Alice had to turn away. But it was still too late; she had seen everything.

His body was no better than his face. If possible, it was worse. His right arm was clearly broken and his legs, though not in the same condition as the arm, were more than likely fractured. More bloody wounds and bruises covered his body, easily visible through the rags he wore. Alice supposed that his ribs were probably broken as well, and prayed that they hadn't punctured a lung. Suddenly, his breathing worried her as she forced herself to look back at him.

Staring at his horribly wounded form, she stretched her hand out until it was gently touching his skin, trying to somehow comfort him. "Don't worry," she whispered. "Someone will be here soon and you'll come back with us and get help, okay? Can you talk any more?" He nodded his head weakly. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Cecil..."

* * *

Watching as Cecil's body was gently placed onto a soft bed, Alice stood off to the side of the room as everyone else crowded around him. Though she wanted to help, wanted to be there in the crowd to see what she could possibly do, she found herself holding back ever since she had seen what happened to him.

After learning of his name, Sapphira had approached her and began to tend to the wounds that they could while in the empty woods. It was nearly an hour later, with much checking from the small pocketwatch that Sapphira always carried, until Tarrant arrived with some soldiers to carry away the poor man. Both women followed after, entering the carriage and sitting in the seat opposite from where he laid, as the guards surrounded the vehicle and walked with it until they arrived back to Marmoreal.

The entire time, Tarrant had remained silent as he quietly asked the man questions. Alice believed that it was to learn of his identity, but something was just too familiar with the two of them that the thought was quickly dismissed. The idea of them having already met was further proven when Cecil was carried into the castle and the small group immediately went to Mirana's room. Her door was already opened, and she was in another room, preparing it to be comforting when they arrived. Mirana's shocked expression made Alice feel uneasy as he was hurried into a bed and a maid was sent on to retrieve the doctor.

During this whole time that Cecil was looked after, Tarrant had mysteriously disappeared after Mirana began trying to make the injured man comfortable. Though she wondered where he had gone off to, she pushed the thought into the back of her head as she was forced back into the present. "How is he?" she asked timidly, quietly walking up to Mirana.

"He's horrible. I don't know who possibly did this to him, but they surely hoped he wouldn't pull through. Or they imagine no one would be around to help him. Either way, he should be fine now that he's in our care. He'll need strict bed rest, of course, and possibly some stitches."

"It's that bad...?" Mirana simply nodded her head, standing aside as the doctor finally arrived and took her place beside him.

"Ladies... If you may...?"

"Oh! Yes, of course!" Mirana said hurriedly, her cheeks a delicate shade of pink as she took hold of Alice's arm and dragged her into the adjoining room. Alice could hear a sharp gasp followed after by a pain-filled moan before Mirana closed the door tightly behind her. "I do hope Cecil will be okay..." she whispered with much sorrow as she walked past Alice and collapsed onto a decorative chair.

"How... How do you know his name is Cecil...?" Alice asked suddenly, still standing near the door. "He never once talked since Tarrant brought him into the room, and I never told you that."

"Tarrant told me when he came here," she sighed, reaching for a empty cup to pour herself something soothing.

"Tarrant left before he told me his name."

"Did I say Tarrant?" Mirana replied casually, trying to force a small smile as she took a sip. "I meant Sapphira. She pulled me aside and told me what his name was while I was looking after him."

"Sapphira came after he told me, and I never told her of the information," Alice replied calmly. Studying the nervous woman's face, she quickly strode over to the seat beside the one she sat in and reached out for Mirana's hand to hold in hers. "Mirana, you said that you wanted to be friends with me, correct?"

Mirana nodded her head furiously. "Yes, of course! There is nothing I could imagine that I would want more."

"Then you need to tell me," Alice whispered. "I want to help; believe me, I do. But I can't help in any way if everyone is keeping things hidden away." A pause filled the air between the two women as Mirana mused the thought, obviously arguing with herself whether it would be wise or not to tell Alice.

"Okay..." she whispered, consenting as she replaced the cup on the table. "I will tell you about Cecil, and how he came to be here..."

* * *

"_I hate you, Maxi_!" Vondrea shrieked as she buried herself deep within the comforts of her silk bed sheets, crying helplessly into them. "_I hope you burn in hell for what you did_!_ I can't believe you_!" she screamed between her sobs, causing her throat to pulse in pain. But she ignored it as she continued to mourn over the man she had lost.

Maxi stood in the bedroom with her, studying his nails in a bored fashion as he continued to listen to the younger woman's screeching and howling. Letting out an irritated sighed, he pulled his gaze away from his hand before walking over to the heap of blankets hiding her and pulling them forcefully away, exposing the woman to his sight. "Get over it," he hissed before reaching down and grabbing a handful of red hair, pulling harshly so that she was looking up at him. Her black eyes were shining brightly from all the tears and her normally pale face was red and stained with the falling water. "I did what I had to do."

"You didn't have to beat him _within an inch of his life_!" she retorted, launching herself off the bed in an attempt to attack him, but was once again stopped as he grabbed both her wrists and threw her against the ground.

"_He will live, woman, now calm the hell down_!" he yelled, his once calm face now contorted in blind fury as he glared down at her trembling figure. Vondrea stared back up at him, completely fearful of what he would do to her, before watching as he cleared his throat and ran a hand through his fine hair. "Believe me, little sister, Cecil will be just fine. If anything, he will be better of there than he was here."

"How could you possibly say such a thing?" she demanded in a hushed whisper. "First you stab him, cut him, beat him till he can barely walk, then leave him in the middle of nowhere and say that he'll be alright?"

"Yes," he snapped, his eyes sending her such a menacing look that she instant fell silent. "They will find him. And when they do, they will take him back to Marmoreal with them and take care of him. It will be like nothing had ever happened to him. And then..." A crazed smile broke out across Maxi's face as he walked away from Vondrea and turned to look out a small window she had near the back wall. Vondrea watched as he stared out the glass, studying the many people and creatures as they roamed about the city's streets.

"Then what?"

"Then he will kill Mirana and we will take over, just like we should have done in the beginning."

* * *

A/N: Okay, I had way too much fun with that chapter. I wanna keep this author's notes short, so I'm just going to say the usual, if you don't mind. Thank you everyone for reading all the chapters and this one as well. Please review, whether it be good or bad. I find that you guys only do it just to help me out, and I am grateful for it, truly. And lastly, I hope to see everyone next chapter as well. Goodbye for now.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Hello my fans! Once again I have returned! And with a new username no less! First off, I wish to apologize for my lack of updating this summer. I've been incredibly busy, and I just got back from New Hampshire where I was visiting my grandparents, as I informed you last chapter, and have serious jet lag. I'm not making up excuses though! I swear, scout's honor and all that jazz. Anyways, while I was there I actually had the same song stuck in my head the whole ten days! To you Sweeney Todd fans out there, I had the song By the Sea in my head the whole time and spent most of my time humming or singing it. I blame it on where we lived, the sea being but a ten minute drive from the house. Thankfully, though, we didn't go much to it. I love the sea and everything, but I enjoy keeping my pale complexion, and one can't do that with the sun beating mercilessly down on you. None the less, I have managed to get through the vacation and, with it, have brought you all the next chapter. I know you have all been eagerly waiting for it's arrival, so I won't keep you any longer. So, for your reading pleasure, I present Chapter Fifteen in Life After Everything Else!

~0~

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Fifteen: The Second Alice

~0~

The sun shone brightly through the clear glass as Mirana sat across from Alice in a plush armchair. Her dark brown eyes kept glancing away from Alice's as her pale hands continued moving about nervously, arranging and rearranging things to no end. After several moments, a maid finally entered with a tray filled with treats and tea. Walking up to the two, she placed the tray onto the ebony table before standing upright and curtsying slightly. "How's Cecil?" Mirana questioned while she took hold of the teapot and poured the liquid into a cup for herself.

"He's finally fallen asleep, Lady Mirana. The doctor left instructions on what to do in case something happens, so everyone will be keeping a close eye on him," the maid informed her before curtsying once again. "Will you be needing anything else?"

"No, no, you may leave," Mirana said, clearly distracted as her words came out rushed. Nodding, the maid quickly left the room upon request, closing the door tightly behind her as Alice stared at Mirana curiously, who was now sipping the hot beverage.

"So...?" she began, somewhat impatiently, as she poured herself a cup as well before lifting it to take a short drink. "How do you know of Cecil? You obviously met him previously, I just don't understand how," she stated, her voice pleasant as she placed the china cup back down. Her brown eyes settled over Mirana as the woman placed down her own cup and took a deep, calming breath.

"What I'm about to tell you, Alice," she said, "you must never repeat to anyone else. Promise me you'll keep this secret!"

"Of course I will, Mirana," Alice whispered. Mirana let out a defeated sigh as she leaned back into the armchair, folding her hands in her lap as she stared out the window.

"We found Cecil in the summer, and it was on a day just like today, actually. I remember the day well, almost like it was only yesterday..."

~0~

__

Mirana sat upon her throne in the vast room, watching the handful of courtiers mingle about for entertainment. A certain buzz was in the air, and the Queen knew all too well what it was. Everyone was still on high alert from the disaster that had plagued Underland, still looking for the young girl that seemed to disappear in a fog of mystery. The young Queen knew that her older sister, the one currently holding Underland in an iron grip, had been searching for the girl just like she was. Yet hardly anything was found, even when Mirana sent her own soldiers to look her for, worried about the well-being and risk the murderer could put everyone in who lived in Underland. She had to take

"Your Highness?" a quivering voice asked. Her large brown eyes continued to stare off into nothing, seeming lost in their own world, before violently blinking at the sound of her name being called again.

"Nivens?" Mirana asked, turning her head to look down at the floor to her left, where the very same rabbit sat trembling. "What's wrong?" she inquired, clearly concerned for the poor animal as he nervously straightened his waistcoat.

"Lady Mirana, I've found another Alice!" the rabbit exclaimed, though his voice showed his clear worry. "She fits your description exactly!"

"Is she here?" Mirana asked, recalling how the last Alice had disappeared before McTwisp could realize she had left his sight.

"Yes, she's waiting in your room with a few of the guards. She seems a little scared, but other than that just fine," he answered. Smiling kindly down at him, Mirana turned her attention back to the small crowd and stood from her seat, instantly silencing any who were in conversation. At first, the Queen thought of whether she should tell the anxious courtiers that they had found who she was hoping was

"I've some business to attend to," she explained simply, placing an apologetic smile on her dark lips, "but it hopefully won't take long. Please, do continue onward." With the courtiers bowing and curtsying respectively, Mirana soon left the room as she heard the earlier chatter come back to life. As she followed the White Rabbit towards her room, she began to worry once again. "Are you sure this one is...safe?" she questioned him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Very. She was far too terrified of learning that there was a talking rabbit to even try to run."

"That's good, at least," Mirana noted as the two finally arrived to the large wooden doors that allowed access into her chambers. Reaching her arms forward, her pale hands tightly grasped the door handles and prepared to open them, but was stopped as the most peculiar sound penetrated the air. And whatever the sound was, it was singing...

some_ responsibility; it was she who brought the child to Underland in the first place._the_ Alice, but decided it was for the best to see for herself._

~0~

"Singing?" Alice asked, clearly surprised, as she picked up her cup again and drank from it once again.

"Yes, singing!" Mirana said, sounding like she was in awe. "It was the most beautiful, magical voice I've ever heard. I listened to one note, and I instantly felt all my fears and concerns go away."

"Sounds like a miracle..." she said, her voice soft as Mirana smiled at her.

"Yes..." she whispered. "A miracle..." The woman fell silent, causing the room to fall into a strained silence with only the occasional sounds of birds cutting through it like a knife. "Needless to say, I was surprised when I finally saw him..."

~0~

__

After listening to the angelic voice for what seemed like hours but was more than likely a few moments before a sudden tugging on the train of her dress snapped her back to reality. "Yes, well, shall we?" she said kindly, smiling down at the rabbit who had woken her from her daze. Putting her weight against the handles, she soon felt the doors give way and she pulled back as she watched them open completely before her. Taking a deep breath to reassure herself, Mirana walked confidently into the room, followed closely after by McTwisp.

Following the sound of the light, airy notes, Mirana soon walked into a room connected to her waiting room that contained a piano and a few chairs and tables. A young girl, probably not any older than the age of fifteen, sat calmly before the ebony piano and was playing a soft lullaby. Her sweet voice joined in with the light notes as two guards stood off to the side.

Closing the door behind her, the sudden noise brought the young girl back from her enchanting song and she turned around to stare fearfully at Mirana. Her straight blonde hair curved slightly inward, framing her oval face that had the brightest pair of blue eyes Mirana had ever seen, even though they looked upon her in terror. Though they were the color of the ocean, they appeared like a soft fire was burning behind them, making them nearly blinding. "Hello, Alice, my name is Mirana," the Queen introduced herself, her voice calm and slow, for fear of frightening the poor girl any more than was needed.

The girl's eyes widened even more so as she scrambled out of her seat so that she could stand and curtsy. However, she seemed so nervous and distracted that, as she was trying to curtsy, her foot caught on the back of her dress and caused her to trip. Her pale face turned bright red as she quickly stood up again, trying to make up for the blunder. "It is fine," Mirana soothed, holding out her hand toward two chairs placed beside each other. "Sit?" she asked gently. Furiously nodding her head, the Alice walked past Mirana and instantly sat into the warm cushions that had earlier been bathing in the sun's rays. As Mirana took the seat next to her, she studied the shy girl fully for the first time.

When not distracted by her stunning eyes, Mirana could tell that her face seemed rather hollow, her lips thin and a light, almost non-existent, shade of pink, and her skin almost seemed a sickly kind of pale. The girl almost appeared like she had been starved for years. The loose dress that had obviously been the child's sleepwear was ill-fitting and she was constantly readjusting it, making sure that it wouldn't slip off her shoulders and expose any unnecessary flesh. It was more than apparent that the girl had been saved from what surely must have been a living nightmare.

"Can you talk?" she asked quietly. When the young blonde nodded her head, Mirana let slip another kind, understanding smile. "Do you remember this place in any way?"

"N-No ma'am," she said hurriedly. "And the rabbit told me why I was here. I'm afraid you have the wrong person, because my

"Alice is what my mother calls me, but my name is really Cecil...ia. Cecilia!" she exclaimed, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself instead of Mirana.

"Cecilia?" Mirana said, unconvinced but deciding to play along with the girl's games. "What a pretty name." The blush from before returned again, planting itself right in the middle of Cecilia's face as she glanced down. A pause, absolute silence, occurred as Mirana waited for her reply.

"L-Lady Mirana?" Cecilia asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as her blue eyes glanced down to her lap out of nervousness. "I...I know I'm not the person you are all looking for...but please..." her voice began to choke up, clearly from tears, "please don't send me back there." No more could be said as Cecilia finally let herself go. Unable to hold back the tears anymore, she leaned forward and buried her head into the skirts she lifted up, pressing her face into them as if she could make the haunting memories, whatever they may be, disappear.

Sitting up from her chair, Mirana quickly embraced the crying child and held her close, ignoring her tears as she whispered soothing words. "We cannot make you leave, Cecilia. If you wish to stay, we will all welcome you. So please, don't worry."

name_ isn't even Alice." Mirana frowned slightly, saddened by this sudden news as the girl continued her rambling. It seemed that as soon as she had spoken, she was unable to stop._

~0~

Alice glanced about the room, noticing the very piano the Mirana had talked about placed in the room. Staring in awe at the instrument, she wondered whether she was sitting in the same chair that Cecil sat in while he cried from whatever horrible memories he recalled all those years ago. "You say that you thought he was a girl...?"

"Oh, yes, he was just about the prettiest thing I had ever seen before. If you had seen him before this," she said, waving her hand towards the direction of the bedroom Cecil was currently residing in, "you would've thought the same thing."

"Well what happened after you found out he wasn't me?" Alice inquired. "Or about learning that a person you thought was a girl was in fact a boy?"

"Patience, Alice, patience," Mirana muttered, the hint of a smile tugging on the corners of her lips. "Naturally, I accepted him to Marmoreal and made sure that he was as comfortable as any person could be under the circumstances. I offered him employment as the Royal Singer, and he seemed incredibly happy to take it at the time. Every chance the orchestra played at an event, he would accompany. Everyone loved his voice, and as the days turned into weeks, he became more and more content. It was almost like he had lived in Marmoreal his whole life! ...But then-" Halted words instantly stopped any more conversation from appearing. Mirana appeared crestfallen, and she stared at her folded hands, nervously biting her lips.

Alice remained silent, watching the other woman closely as she waited for the rest of the words to come on. The anticipation had caused her to lean so far out of her seat she could nearly fall out, and the sudden silence only added up to it. "Then you found out Cecil was a boy?" she offered. To this, Mirana sadly nodded her head. "How did you find out?"

"I had come into his room before a show, worried. No one had seen him all day, and the maids that tended to him claimed that he had locked himself away in his room, crying. I feared for his well-being, so I went to visit him. His door was unlocked and I opened it without thinking. The next thing I saw was Cecil, standing before his bed in full nude as he was trying to desperately cut his black hair," she explained, laughing slightly at the memory. "I was in so much shock that I wasn't even aware that he had shoved me out of his room and locked the door behind me!" Even though the manner of conversation was serious, Mirana couldn't help but laugh at the memory, soon causing Alice to join with her. The image of the injured man, although healthy and wound-free in the womans' minds, running around his room in such a fret while unaware of his currently clothing option was far too much for either of them to handle without even a slight giggle.

When their laughing fit had subsided, Alice smiled warmly at Mirana, noticing how the woman was seeming to grow more at ease with sharing this newly discovered information. "So what happened next?" she asked excitedly.

"Well, as expected he kept himself locked away in his room for the rest of the day, refusing to even let the maids come in so that they could prepare his bath. As for me, I retreated to my room rightfully blushing!" Mirana said with a grin, to which Alice was more than eager to share. "It wasn't until later that night I was given a note by one of Cecil's maids requesting that I come by his room to chat. Obviously I wanted answers to all these strange questions popping up in my head, so I went straight to his room the moment I was able and was immediately ushered into his room."

~0~

__

The door looked intimidating to the young blonde, being the only one that now knew of the true secrets that it hid. She wanted to go, needed to go into Cecilia's room, if that was her real name to begin with, and get answers to the questions that showed up the moment she had seen the young...boy's body. But still, something was holding her back. A nervousness, per se, of what she would be greeted with if she did indeed enter the room. Her mind was clashing thoughts, forcing her to fight an internal battle that was quickly put to rest the moment the door knob before her moved of it's own accord.

"Mirana...?" a shy voice questioned, it's tone demanding yet clearly terrified at the same time.

"Yes, it's me," she quickly said, hoping to assure the disembodied voice from the obvious discomfort that it was feeling.

"Quickly," the voice ordered, the door before the blonde being suddenly thrown open despite that there was no one on the other side. Not wishing to anger Cecilia, Mirana quickly entered the room and turned around in time to see Cecilia close the door behind her, locking it so that no one could possibly intrude. When the task was complete, she turned to face Mirana, a look of mortal fear stuck on her usually calm and reserved features. "What did you see?" she demanded after a short silence.

"Enough to know that you aren't who you originally claimed to be." Cecilia's cheeks went alight with red coloring.

"So you saw...everything then, I suppose?"

"Yes," came Mirana's simple reply. Cecilia let out a shaky breath, though whether it was out of relief or terror, Mirana did not know. "I won't tell," she said, knowing that the thought was in the boy's mind as he stared at her, visibly trembling.

"I suppose you want to know why I've been doing this for so long...and why I didn't tell you when we first meet...?" The White Queen simply nodded her head in agreement, causing Cecilia to emit a heavy sigh as he walked over to his bed and collapsed atop it. "I suppose I should start in the beginning."

"My real name is Alice Glasier, but I was given the name Cecil later on by one of the maids who worked in my old home. You see, my mother was very ill when she gave birth to me and believed me to be a girl. And for the first thirteen years of my life, I believed her. Of course, the truth soon came about and I found myself confused and frustrated constantly, as my mother continued to treat me like her little

"You have to understand this from my point: I wanted to believe that I was indeed a girl. I wanted my mother to love me, for my father died when I was but a babe, and I feared that if I became a boy then she would grow to resent me. The maids told me that my mother had always wanted a daughter, and I heard the whispered gossip that it was

"Pardon my asking," Mirana said quietly, stopping Cecil from continuing on in what surely was a very sad tale. "But, why did you continue under the pretense of a girl. Surely, being away from your mother would want you to be open about your true gender?"

Cecil smiled, a small, sad smile that spoke of longing and emptiness as he turned his head to gaze out the window. Turning her head out along with his, she realized that the window held out a beautiful view of the gardens surrounding Marmoreal. Watching as he stood, the young man walked up to the window and placed his forehead against the cold glass. "I suppose that it was because...I feared that I could not act like a boy. There was a strange comfort to me when I dressed like a girl, and it was a comfort that I wasn't willing to let go of just yet. Also...it seems that when I am a girl, it was the only time that I ever felt...loved."

girl_. This led to outbursts on my part, for I didn't quite know _what_ I was. The servants in my house soon began to fear me, and would try to avoid me as much as possible. Naturally, the sudden isolation angered me further and I soon found myself being taken away to a madhouse._my_ fault my mother grew mad after learning that her precious child was a mere _boy_."_

~0~

Alice didn't know how to respond to the words Mirana had conveyed to her, the very same words that Cecil had spoken all those years ago. Truly, he must have had to go through much trauma if that was what he believed in. "You...You don't have to continue," she whispered, seeing how Mirana was tearing up over the story. But she simply shook her head, lifting her hand up to wave it in a dismissive manner.

"No, no, I've started this story; it's my duty to see it through till the end," she replied with a shaky voice. It was clear the memories were starting to affect the woman the further along she went. Clutching her shaking hands together, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves before she continued. "After I learned of his secret, we became the closest of friends. One of the first ones I ever made, in fact. Then...Then one day...he disappeared."

~0~

__

Rushing through the vast halls of Marmoreal Castle, Queen Mirana tried her best to follow after a maid that had arrived to her room in tears. The young girl pounded on the elegant door that led into Mirana's bedroom until a guard finally yielded. However, before the poor man could even ask her as to what the cause of her distress was, she ran past him and threw herself down before Mirana, sobbing into the plush carpet as she blubbered on incoherent words. When Mirana demanded that the girl properly stand up and tell her what was wrong, the maid instantly did so and informed the Queen through her sobs that Cecilia was missing.

Upon learning of the news, Mirana turned to her guards and told them to start up a search party while she went with the maid out onto the gardens. Together they ran, far out into the hedges and plants until they were on the near outskirts of Marmoreal's stunning gardens. As their running slowed down to a quick walk, the maid pushed back branches and leaves frantically until they arrived at a little visited opening. "This is where he last was...with Tarrant."

"Thank you, Ginette, you may go now," the Queen said calmly, waiting until the sobbing girl nodded her head and made her way back to the castle. There was a strained silence in the air as Mirana turned to Tarrant, whose back was facing her. He was rigged, his head tilted slightly downward as he studied the ground before him. "Have you found any-"

"Why was Ginette here?" Tarrant ordered.

"She was Cecilia's personal handmaid. Ginette cared for her just like any mother would for their own child," Mirana explained before making her way over to Tarrant's side. She stared at the area Tarrant was intently gazing at, yet found nothing of particular interest. "I should ask you the same thing, Tarrant."

"I was walking about, trying to clear out my head, when I heard a muttering. I followed it, and watched in silence as Cecil talked to himself. It seemed that he was growing mad." Mirana held her tongue at the comment, knowing full well that now was not the time to be making any remarks. Especially with the current mood of Underland's very own Mad Hatter. "After awhile of the conversation, I started hearing the faintest of voices and realized that, perhaps, he hadn't lost it completely. Then, just as suddenly as I heard it, Cecil stood up and ran past these bushes," he explained, finally lifting his head up and pointing an accusing finger at the well-trimmed hedges.

"How did you know she was really a he?"

"Ginette knew. Believe me, her thoughts towards him were anything but motherly. She accidentally walked in on him changing, but was he was not aware of the intrusion. She left before he could. I was the only person she told, because she noticed that he had begun to act strangely. The poor girl wished for me to keep an eye of him, fearing the worst of what could become of him." Tarrant turned to face Mirana. "After all, sending a

"Do you know where he could've gone?" she asked in a meek voice.

"No clue. Tell the guards to search Queensland, but I'm not sure if we'll find him anywhere."

mad_ person to look after one that might be suffering the same fate is not too much to ask, no?" Mirana kept silent._

~0~

"And to this day, you still don't know what happened to him?" The White Queen shook her head. "Well, he's here now! Surely, this must put many ghosts to rest! Not to mention you can ask him what has become of him during the time he had gone missing!"

"I suppose I could," Mirana sighed. "But, I will leave it to some other time. It is growing late, and tomorrow I intend for you to receive a _proper_ tour of Queensland. Perhaps I could have Chessur retrieve the Round Hall Keys as well, and we could go and visit Looking Glass Land?" she mused. "Either way, we will both need rest if we are to fully enjoy Underland. Goodnight, Alice."

~0~

****

A/N:

Good chapter = Good review = Happy writer = Good chapter

As she also said, "It's a cycle, people!" So, please review and I hope to see everyone next chapter.

Hi again. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter so very, very much! I had a lot of fun writing this, having gone through the set up of Cecil's background for quite a long time now. Not to mention, that isn't even _his_ complete story, much less the other Alices', which you _are_ going to learn about well before this story is over. In the next chapter, Alice will be going with a few friends and explore a bit more of Underland, and not just the aforementioned Queensland. I hope to see everyone here to read the next chapter, and I also really hope that you all review. It's a great way of telling this little writer here, 'Great job, you did very well.' Or, at least say, 'This story is good enough to me that I either praise you or help to correct you.' Remember this important formula that I, myself, learned from a fellow fanfic authoress: 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I. Am. Not. Dead. I swear it! See! Look at the pretty chapter! And the new edited chapter! It's so nice and shiny and new. Anyway, please enjoy the sixteenth chapter of Life After Everything Else.

* * *

Life After Everything Else

Chapter Sixteen: Looking Glass Land

* * *

The pishalver tasted just as disgusting as Alice had first remembered. Scrunching her nose as the liquid filled her stomach, she waited until she was as small as the rest of the group before joining them near the tiny door that led into the Round Room. Thankfully, the clothes that Tarrant had given her for the occasion had shrunk with her, and she smiled as he took her hand and led her through the door behind the rest of the group.

Earlier in the morning, a disgruntled Sapphira and an ecstatic Mirana had awaked Alice. Both women had entered her room, waking her up before proceeding to help her dress in comfortable clothes. As Sapphira glared at the choices in Alice's wardrobe, Mirana excitedly explained to Alice the plans for the day. After breakfast was served, her, Mirana, Sapphira, Tarrant, and Chessur were all to travel to the Round Hall and Mirana was to show them Looking Glass Land, a place she had visited many times as a child.

Alice watched with a broad smile as Mirana quickly excused herself so that she may properly dress as well before allowing Sapphira to dress her. Despite the bad mood Sapphira always seemed to be in, even she seemed somewhat excited as she brushed out Alice's hair before putting it up.

Meeting up with everyone downstairs for an early breakfast, Mirana and Tarrant shared with the rest of the group Cecil's improving condition thanks to the doctors who had been working on him throughout the whole night. Cheers were shared all around and it was agreed that they would pay a visit to him once they returned from their exploring.

After finishing their breakfast, everyone moved out to the stables and was given horses to ride to their destination. It didn't take long until they arrived at the door and were walking through it with much excitement coursing through the group.

"Stay away from the mirrors, Alice," Chessur purred, smiling broadly at the blonde as he floated past everyone and disappeared through the ceiling. Only a few minutes passed before he returned with a ring of different sized keys in his paw.

"For you," he said, giving the keys to Mirana. Nodding her thanks, Sapphira quickly dug out a small portion of Upelkuchen and broke it into four for the group. After the short growth spurt, Mirana stepped forward to the only set of double doors and unlocked them. Opening them up wide, she grinned as she led everyone out into the new world.

"Oh, my word..." Sapphira breathed, causing Alice and Mirana to share a knowing glance. Just like Alice, this was Sapphira's first time out of Queensland. Unlike Alice, she had no idea what sort of things would be waiting for her when she arrived.

Even from where she stood, Alice could see all of Looking Glass Land. The area was flat and surrounded by lush forests that belong to Tulgey Woods, but it was what was in the middle that caused a sense of wonder. From the distance, it appeared to be nothing more but a splash of bright colors amidst the green, but Alice recalled Mirana telling her of the beautiful talking flowers that called this land home. In the middle of a small opening that the flowers gave was a small house, which was where they were all heading toward this trip.

"Oh, Tarrant, it's beautiful," Alice sighed as they began walking away from the door and down the small hill that it rested upon.

"It seems that Looking Glass land has healed wonderfully," he replied with a smile, his eyes so green that Alice couldn't help but smile. Leaning closer, he shyly kissed his cheek. This earned a very stern glare from Sapphira, which only caused the two to laugh as they continued walking.

"Alice! Alice, come look!" Mirana said, breathless as she waved the younger girl over. Leaving Tarrant's side, she walked over to the White Queen and inquired as to what it was she wished her to see. "Look over there!" Mirana said, pointing at the house that was now closer to them.

"Yes, Lady Mirana, what is it?" she asked, laughing with the woman.

"I remember that house! Remember how I told you I came here as a child? Well, Father would bring Iracebeth and me with him when he came here to Looking Glass Land to oversee the flowers that lived here and the miners when Underland use to harvest looking glass. We would stay there. I can't believe I didn't remember it until now!" she said happily, smiling with Alice as they reached the bottom of the hill and the beginning of the vast collections of gardens.

"Honestly, Lady Mirana, it would do you good not to jump around so," Sapphira scolded, eying the house with apprehension. "You are acting just as bad as Miss Alice does. Besides, I doubt that house is in any sort of stable condition."

"I say, Sapphira, you've gotten much more _bitter_ since I last saw you," Chessur said, appearing in front of the woman which caused a yelp to issue from her.

"I'm just watching out over Lady Mirana, that's all," she snapped, walking past the Cheshire cat with a frown.

Alice and Mirana both ignored the woman, smiling and waving to all the flowers they were passing by. They were all so beautiful; posies and lilacs, roses and violets, tiger lilies and tulips and more were all scattered about. Some slept, others chattered amongst each other, and almost all of them bowed to Lady Mirana and gave their heartfelt thanks to Alice. News had spread fast since she had slain the Jabberwocky almost two months ago, and Alice was treated like a hero by the flowers when they noticed her.

She had noticed one elderly flower, her leaves beginning to wither and her color fading, as she tended to a nursery of baby's breath. "Hello, ma'am," she said, curtsying to the flower. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course, dearie," the flower answered, turning to face her as the rest of the group conversed with other flowers. "What do you want to know?"

"How long has Looking Glass Land been here?"

"Oh, ever since Underland first started! We have a long, rich history here. The royalty of Underland use to call this place home, and we even had a castle here not too long ago. However, one day a village child visiting had fallen down a hole and discovered the abundance of looking glass that was resting underground. After the find, the castle was torn down and replaced with a mining camp. That only lasted a few years, and soon that was closed down as well and all the mine entrances in the forest were boarded , that didn't happen until recently. The base of the mining camp was moved and was replaced by that house you see over there. The former king lived there with his wife and two daughters whenever he came to oversee the mining.."

"When did the flowers arrive?"

"Oh, during the time of the first castle. The reigning queen at the time adored us, so she planted us everywhere. I'm one of the oldest flowers, but since I can't do much it's been up to me to take care of the children here," she said, smiling down at the small flowers nestled together.

"That's lovely," Alice said, smiling as she gazed down at the small blue flowers. Hearing her name being called out, she turned to see Tarrant and Mirana waving at her to come. "I really am sorry, but I must leave. Do take care."

"You too, Miss Alice. And thank you very much for all you've done." Smiling, Alice waved goodbye to the elderly flower before running to join everyone else. Slowing down beside Tarrant, she greeted them breathlessly and asked where they were heading.

"Unfortunately, Lady Mirana insisted that we see her childhood home before we are to return to Marmoreal," Sapphira explained, glaring at Tarrant as he held offered Alice his arm. "Indecent," she muttered before walking faster so that she joined Mirana ahead of the couple.

"Don't be upset, Alice," Chessur said, appearing and now sitting now atop Tarrant's hat. "Sapphira wasn't always like this."

"Do you mind?" Tarrant said as Chessur took his hat and floated slightly in front of them. His mouth spreading into a wide grin, Chessur rolled onto his back, resting the hat on his stomach as he looked at the two.

"Not at all. I do so love this hat."

"What do you mean she wasn't always like this?" Alice whispered.

"Well, she used to be very nice and soft-spoken. That was, until the White Knave showed up."

"The White Knave?" Tarrant questioned. "Everyone knows that he was banished years ago for treason. Why would he have anything to do with Sapphira?"

"Do you recall the rumor going about the castle during that time?" Tarrant raised an eyebrow, becoming just as curious as Alice was. "Well, several years ago, the charming White Knave served under Lady Mirana's father and mother. And, believe me, not even the royalty was immune to his affection," Chessur said, glancing back at Mirana before returning Tarrant's hat and disappearing.

"You don't think—"

"He's right," Tarrant answered. "During the time, there was a rumor going on that Lady Mirana and the White Knave were in love."

"Chessur said that he was banished for treason. What was his crime?"

"As the story goes, he tried to kill the king and queen in their sleep. Although he was charming and an excellent liar, he was unable to escape his punishment. Originally, he was to be beheaded."

"And Lady Mirana stopped it?"

"No one knows. The day that his sentence was to be given, the punishment was changed to banishment to the Outlands."

"How curious," Alice whispered, watching Sapphira and Mirana as they conversed together. Letting the subject settle, the two began talking of plans for their own outing together as they approached the house.

Sapphira was right; the house did not seem to be in the best condition. The wood was beginning to rot away and the shutters that covered the windows seemed to be falling off. Nonetheless, Mirana excitedly opened the door and stepped inside. Alice had to stop herself from coughing, the smell of must and rot almost overpowering. Sapphira, apparently thinking the same as Alice, took no time in opening the windows to allow fresh air in as Mirana ran off into one of the side rooms. Following her, Alice watched as Mirana ignored the room and immediately headed up the stairs. Glancing at the room, she noticed that it looked as if it had never been inhabited and was left to collect dust. Feeling slightly saddened, she followed Tarrant carefully up the stairs and into the upper portion of the house. The briefest glance of a white skirt disappearing behind a door told the two where Mirana had headed to and they diligently followed her down the hallway.

"It's so small," Alice noted quietly, "and neat. It's like no one ever lived in here."

"Strange indeed," Tarrant agreed. "I recall hearing stories of a grand, if somewhat modest villa where Lady Mirana and her family stayed at whenever her father had business here."

Suddenly they both stopped when they noticed an open door and Mirana sitting on a small bed, a dusty box resting on her lap. Walking inside, Alice left Tarrant's side and sat down beside the Queen, smiling warmly at her.

"This was my room," Mirana explained. "Although I never stayed in it much. I always preferred going outside to talk to the flowers," she said, laughing as she looked up at Alice. "And this," she whispered, not noticing Tarrant walk out of the room, "this was where I kept all my secrets." Opening the lid, Alice watched with great interest as Mirana pulled out stacked letters and small trinkets she had no doubt collected in her childhood years.

"Why did you leave all of this stuff here?" Alice whispered, reaching forward and picking up a small shell that was an incredible blend of different shades of blue.

"The past is where many things should be left, Alice. When my father passed away, I deemed it best that I leave this place. Although I'm excited to be back now, believe me, there were a lot of memories at the time that were too painful for me to have to go through," she explained, shifting through the many letters she had pulled out. Curious, Alice glanced at the letters, barely able to read the faded letters. Mirana opened one with a heavy sigh, skimming over the contents before folding it back up and tucking it away. All Alice could see from it was an M as the signature at the bottom.

"I'm sorry," Alice said.

* * *

Mirana wasn't the only one that returned to Marmoreal in a somewhat foul mood. When they met up again, Alice quickly discovered the short temper Tarrant had fallen into when he had snapped at her. Although something told her that Sapphira had played a hand in it, she kept quiet as they all traveled back through the door and made their way back to Marmoreal. The ride back was held mostly in silence, the air being broken shortly when Chessur appeared to discuss all the wonderful things he had found left behind in the house. At one point, he even told Alice about how he had gone into the looking glass mines and discovered that the mines led to another part of Underland. The land more than likely belonged to the door a bit of the ways down from Looking Glass Land's door, but Chessur explained that the reason that mine traveled to there was because it was the home of a village. Whereas people who were able to apply as servants or were nobility lived in Queensland, the common folk lived in this small portion of Underland and it was where Father Time lived as well.

Interested in this bit of news, Alice resolved to learn more of this part of Underland as Chessur disappeared into the air once again. It wasn't long until the marble towers appeared on the horizon, and Alice smiled softly as they approached the gates and, eventually, entered the stables. Once everything was sorted out, everyone quickly hurried inside to learn of the news of the newest arrival to Queensland.

Stepping inside a brightly lit room, Alice watched as Mirana and Sapphira hurried to the bedside where the patient, now fully awake, sat. "Cecil, it's been so long!" Mirana said, smiling as she sat down beside him. He gave a weak smile back and placed his hand over Mirana's in a brotherly affection.

"Mirana, I have missed you so much. Please forgive me, it happened so long ago and I don't even know why I left and—"

"All is forgiven," Mirana reassured him. "All that matters now is helping you get better."

"I don't know about you, Lady Mirana, but I personally have a few questions for him," Sapphira interjected, taking a seat at the foot of the bed. "Where have you been all this time? No one has access to the Round Hall keys except for McTwisp, Chessur, and Lady Mirana, so you had to be here in Queensland. Not only that, how did you find your way to the Tulgey Woods in your condition, and who did this to you? You've suffered broken bones and the doctor says that you're permanently blind in your left eye now."

"Everything is vague, Miss Sapphira. I just recall following a voice, doing whatever it told me. I don't know where I was nor do I know who did this to me. I wish I could be of more help."

"Do you still sing?" Alice asked, stepping closer to the bed. Blue eyes fell on her, clearly curious as to whom she was.

"Occasionally I sang to comfort myself," Cecil replied. "But it has been a long time since I have done anything professional."

"Lady Mirana told me of how you use to sing for the residents here. How you had the most beautiful voice in all of Queensland."

"I didn't say _all_ of that," Mirana giggled.

"...May I ask who you are?" Cecil asked cautiously, his eyes never having once left her since she had brought herself to his attention.

"Alice Kingsleigh," she said, curtsying to him. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Oh, Cecil, you recall how we were looking for a Champion, do you? Miss Alice was our Champion," Mirana explained.

"How...lovely," Cecil said, smiling to Alice. "I do hate to seem rude, but may Mirana and I have some time alone? I haven't seen her in so very long."

"Of course. Come along, Alice, it's growing late anyway," Sapphira said, quickly standing up and hurrying Alice out of the room. "You as well, Mr. Hightopp," Sapphira added with a glare. Smiling at him, Alice walked with Tarrant out of the room, giggling when Sapphira nearly slammed the door closed and nearly ran so that she was beside the two.

"I trust that you had an _exhausting_ day, Miss Alice?" Sapphira asked, her voice almost hopeful.

"Very much so. In fact, you can go on ahead to your room, Sapphira. Tarrant can escort me to my room," she replied.

"Miss Alice!" Sapphira sputtered. "Just because you two are courting, heaven above forbid that act alone, does not mean that you two are...are to always be in each others company! It's a ridiculous notion, and one I will not put up with!"

Glancing up at Tarrant, Alice could see that his eyes were beginning to turn red, something that was never a good indicator for his mood. Clearly Sapphira was the cause for his silence earlier, as now his mood was only worsening with each word that she spoke.

"And furthermore, this is not the grounds onto which a healthy relationship should be based upo—"

"Not another word!" Tarrant shouted, his red eyes boring into Sapphira with such intense anger that Alice was almost concerned for Sapphira.

Sapphira fell silent, not sure how to respond to Tarrant's outburst. "E-Excuse me?"

"Not another _word_ out of you, Sapphira," Tarrant hissed. "You know absolutely nothing, nor do I think you wish to. You like to pretend you know everything, that you know what Alice wants more than anyone else does. But you don't. She loves me, and I love her, and there is nothing that you can do about that. Now, please go. I shall escort Alice to her bedroom, myself."

"I-I-I'm sorry, Tarrant, but I cannot allow that—"

"_What_ do you think I'll do to her!" he demanded. "I would never harm her, I would never even _think_ of forcing myself on her if that is what you accuse me of doing! You know nothing of how much I care for her! Now _leave us_!"

Sapphira was quiet, staring in a mixture of shock and surprise at the man. Her mouth was opened, ready for a response or a snide remark, but nothing came. Finally she closed her mouth, her features expressing exactly what she thought of the remaining member of the Hightopp Clan as she mockingly curtsied to him.

"Pleasant evening then, Mr. Hightopp," she said through clipped lips before pushing past the two and walking towards her own room.

Glancing up at Tarrant, Alice noticed how he was slowly calming down, the red eyes slowly turning brown then a dark shade of green. "Come on then, Tarrant," she said, linking her arm in his and gently pulling him in the direction of her room. Nodding, he started walking beside her and remained silent the entire time. When they arrived to Alice's door, she turned to him and reached her hands up, gently holding his face.

"Are you alright?" she whispered, genuinely concerned. Seeing his eyes begin to slowly lighten, she sighed in relief as he bent down and held her against him.

"I'm fine, Alice," he said, his finger running through the curls in her hair. "That woman is just insufferable at times."

"I know," she said, smiling as his hands reached up and their fingers interlocked. "But everything is fine now."

Feeling one of his hands leave hers, Alice's eyes closed as his hand reached forward and gently touched her flushed cheek. Ever so gently, she felt his lips brush against hers, causing butterflies to flutter in her stomach. The feeling made her lightheaded, almost dizzy, but she wanted more. Shyly, she moved closer to him so that his lips were fully pressed against hers, her arms moving down to wrap around his neck. The kiss, however modest, was intoxicating and she longed for more the minute Tarrant pulled away.

"Goodnight, Miss Alice," he said, kissing her forehead. "Tomorrow will be a big day. Do rest."

"I'll try," she promised with a smile. "Goodnight, Tarrant." Reluctantly, she left his arms and waited until Tarrant disappeared down the hall before walking inside. Her heart was beating wildly and her stomach was jittering as she changed into her nightgown and crawled into the warmth of her bed. Dreams of what tomorrow would bring were filling her mind before her head could even hit the pillow.

* * *

A/N: Did everyone enjoy that? I do hope so, because I've been typing nonstop to get this chapter done today! Anyway, please leave a review and tune in for the next chapter, which will appear a _lot_ sooner than this one did! Also, I have a poll up on my profile so if anyone is interested in more stories after this one is completed, please go over and vote! Thank you all for reading.


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